Adolescence
by Selena Estella
Summary: In a whirlwind of impossible events, the twelve trolls have found themselves back on their own planet, almost as if nothing has changed. Key word there being 'almost'. But things go pretty well... at first. Alternia isn't any kinder, and they must juggle Imperial Drones, assassination attempts, and the Cult of the Signless uprising with something even more terrifying: growing up.
1. Prologue

**Please read:**

Firstly I would like to apologize to Nepeta's and Equius' quirks, and the command thingies. This dumb formatting hates those 'greater than, less than' sign thingies and won't use them.

Secondly I would like to thank you for giving this fic a go!

Thirdly I would like to inform people that the majority of this is pre-written, so as much as I love constructive criticism and suggestions, I probably won't be able to use them if they affect the plot. Sorry.

And lastly, and most importantly, I wish to have this be a little reader-driven. By this, I mean that if you put in a totally wacky command for a character, I am willing to incorporate it. It also means that you can choose who to 'be' next. The story is in a pretty split-up form at the moment, so rearrangement won't do anything other than maybe make it a bit confusing my end. The character with the most 'votes' will appear next (but please don't constantly ask for the same character. That would pretty much take away the point of the plot).

Although if there aren't any suggestions I'll just go with what I have already.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the fic!

* * *

====== Reader: Regard interesting text

Why, hello there. It's been a while, hasn't it?

My name? Who am I? Oh, you don't need to know that. In fact, I wouldn't say you really need to know anything yet. Just have a quick look at this incredibly interesting chat log:

CURRENT carcinoGeneticist [CCG] RIGHT NOW opened memo on board HOLY FUCKING SHIT WHAT THE MOTHERFUCK I DON'T EVEN LOOK JUST GET IN HERE

CG: OK WHAT

CG: I DON'T EVEN

CG: *FUCK*

CG: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?

CG: BECAUSE I SURE AS HELL AM *NOT* IN THE VEIL.

CG: OR ON LOPAH.

CG: I AM IN MY HIVE.

CG: SGRUB DID HAPPEN RIGHT?

CURRENT gallowsCalibrator[GC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

GC: Y3S, K4RKL3S, 1T D1D.

GC: TH3R3'S NO N33D TO FR34K OUT 4BOUT 1T SO MUCH.

CG: WHAT THE MOTHERFUCK?

CG: NO NEED?

GC: S1GH.

GC: YOU H4V3 DON3 4 BR1LL14NT JOB OF FORG3TTING Y3ST3RN1GHT.

CG: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ON ABOUT?

CURRENT twinArmageddons [TW] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

TA: w0w kk.

TA: i seri0usly didn't think y0u'd flip 0ut quite that quickly.

TA: 0r unnecessarily.

CG: OK WHAT

CG: I SENSE THAT I AM MISSING SOMETHING HUGE HERE.

TA: we're alive, kk.

TA: we beat the game.

TA: we're back 0n 0ur planet.

TA: i'm still eyeless and t00thless th0ugh.

CURRENT centaursTesticle[CT] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

CT: D - We are all here, Vantas

CG: BUT

CG: I

CG: YOU'RE DEAD!

CT: D - I was

CURRENT arsenicCatnip[AC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

AC: :33 we're ALIVE! :33

AC: :33 actually being dead wasnt all that bad i guess but im still happy!

CG: PLEASE CAN I NOT BE THE ONLY ONE FREAKING OUT ABOUT THIS.

CG: PLEASE CAN I NOT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS SITUATION!

CG: WHAT DID WE EVEN DO? ALL I REMEMBER IS LIGHT AND THEN I WAS IN MY RECUPRACOON LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER EVEN HAPPENED!

CURRENT terminallyCapricious [TC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

TC: uhh

TC: hi guys

CG: GAMZEE.

CG: I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE SO GLAD TO SEE YOUR OBNOXIOUS SHADE OF PURPLE TEXT.

CG: *PLEASE* CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?

TC: we beat the motherfucking game, bro

TC: WE MOTHERFUCKING BEAT IT

CG: HOW?

AC: :33 um

AC: :33 is this

AC: :33 is this ok?

CG: GAMZEE'S COOL NOW.

CG: BESIDES THAT'S NOT THE POINT.

CURRENT cuttlefishCuller [CC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

CC: we beat lord englis)( guys!

CC: Glub glub glub! 38D

CG: GREAT.

CG: WOULD SOMEBODY CARE TO EXPLAIN *HOW*?

CURRENT arachnidsGrip [AG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

AG: You know, I think I might actually I agree with Karkat on this one.

AG: This all seems waaaaaaaay too simple.

CG: WOW.

CG: FINALLY, A VOICE OF REASON.

CG: EVEN IF IT IS FROM SPIDER BITCH HERE.

TA: d0es it really matter?

TA: pers0nally i'm just glad we're all alive.

CG: YIPPEE FOR YOU.

CG: THERE IS SERIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS SITUATION.

CG: I MEAN COME ON.

CG: THIS IS IT? IT'S OVER? WE BEAT THE GODDAMN APOCALYPSE AND SOME SORT OF OMNIPOTENT GOD AND NOW IT'S JUST LIKE, 'WELL DONE! NOW SCRURRY BACK HOME LIKE NOTHING EVER EVEN HAPPENED!'?

CG: IT THAT REALLY WHAT IT IS?

CG: MY LUSUS ISN'T BACK, EITHER.

CG: HIS CORPSE ISN'T JUST LYING AROUND BUT I'M PRETTY SURE HE'S STILL DEAD.

TA: same here, n0w that y0u menti0n it.

CG: 'NOW THAT I MENTION IT'?

CG: WHAT IS *WRONG* WITH YOU?

GC: 4LL OUR LUS1 4R3 ST1LL D34D, 1 TH1NK.

CC: 1 CH3CK3D TH3 SC4L3S 4ND THEY'R3 ST1LL TH3R3, THOUGH TH3R3'S NOTH1NG ON 31TH3R OF TH3M.

CC: my lusus isn't around -EITHER

CC: i don't know w)(et)(er to be sad or glad 38/

CG: OK SO WHAT THE MOTHERFUCK HAPPENED?

AG: WE DON'T KNOW, KARKAT!

AG: I'm finding this pretty frustr8ing as well.

CG: THAT AND HOW COME EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW SO MUCH MORE THAN ME?

CG: OR AT LEAST BE MORE USED TO THE SITUATION!

AG: Gog, Karkat, you seriously don't remem8er?

CG: REMEMBER *WHAT*?

AG: Well, I guess I can't really 8lame you hehehehehehehehe!

CG: SWEET HOLY JEGUS, WHAT INCREDIBLY EMBARASSING AND UN-LEADER-LIKE THING HAVE I DONE *NOW*?

GC: YOU TOOK ON3 LOOK 4T 3V3RYON3 TH3R3

GC: 4L1V3

GC: 4ND K33L3D OV3R 1N 4 D34D F41NT.

CG: FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

CG: H3H3H3H3H3H! :D

AC: :33 you were really tied KK!

AC: :33 you hadn't slept for ages!

AC: :33 i think you just pawsed out from exhaustion

GC: STOP M4K1NG 3XCUS3S FOR H1M!

GC: 1T W4S H4L4R1OUS!

AC: :33 but you were really worried too GC!

GC: 4H3M.

GC: 1 THOUGHT

GC: W3 H4D 4GR33D NOT TO M3NT1ON TH4T?

AC: :33 oops!

AC: :33 sorry!

CG: OK, YOU KNOW WHAT?

CG: I DO *NOT* WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON BETWEEN YOU TWO.

CG: I WANT TO KNOW IF WE'RE ALL ALIVE!

CG: SO WHERE THE FUCK ARE ARADIA, KANAYA AND ERIDAN?

CG: OH AND TAVROS CAN'T FORGET HIM.

TA: i kinda d0ubt any 0f us have died in under 24 h0urs KK

TA: just try t0 be patient if that is even p0ssible f0r y0u

CG: LOOK I'M JUST

CG: I'M JUST STRESSED GUYS.

CG: AND WORRIED.

CG: I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOME CATCH. OTHER THAN OUR LUSUSES OR LUSI OR WHATEVER STILL BEING DEAD.

CG: LIKE THIS IS JUST SOMETHING IN A DREAM BUBBLE.

CG: OR ACTUALLY THE PROPER AFTERLIFE.

CG: IF THAT IS EVEN A THING AFTER ALL WE'VE DONE.

CURRENT adiosToreador [AT] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

AT: uHH,,

AT: hI GUYS,

AT: yEAH I'M STILL, uH,,

AT: aLIVE AND, uHH, STUFF,

AT: bUT MY LEGS ARE, uH,

AT: sTILL, uH, rOBOTIC,

AT: sO I UH, gUESS I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE, uH, lEGS ANYMORE.

CG: GREAT. ANOTHER PERSON STILL ALIVE.

CG: WHETHER THAT WAS SARCASTIC OR NOT IS UP TO YOU TO DECIDE.

CG: I DON'T EVEN KNOW.

CG: UGH I AM JUST SO TIRED RIGHT NOW.

GC: YOU SHOULD G3T SOM3 MOR3 SL33P K4RKL3S.

GC: TH3 G4M3 1S OV3R NOW YOU DON'T H4V3 TO STR3SS ABOUT BEING TH3 L34D3R 4NYMOR3. :/

CG: BUT I DO.

CG: I STILL FUCKING DO AND I'M NOT GONNA SLEEP UNTIL *EVERYONE* HAS CHECKED IN.

CG: WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE OTHER THREE?

CURRENT apocalypseArisen [AA] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

AA: i am here!

AA: and i am still alive!

AA: i enjoy being alive

AA: although my hive has seen better days

AA: i cant really live here anymore is it ok if i stay with someone for a while?

AA: who is closest?

TA: y0u can crash with me

CT: D - I would be happy to accommodate you

CG: OH JEGUS CAN WE *PLEASE* KEEP STUPID BLACKROM/REDROM SHIT OUT OF THIS MEMO?

CG: I JUST WANNA CHECK TO SEE IF EVERYONE IS ALIVE TAKE IT TO PRIVATE CHAT FOR ANYTHING ELSE!

FUTURE apocalypseArisen [AT] 2:35 HOURS FROM NOW responded to memo.

FAA: whoops sorry guys just making sure it still works

FUTURE apocalypseArisen [AT] 2:35 HOURS FROM NOW ceased responding to memo.

CG: OK WHAT THE MOTHERFUCK

AA: it appears that future me may have recovered some of her/my time abilities

AA: or simply the timeline abilities sollux set up

CG: OK GREAT SO THERE'S STILL SOME FREAKY GAME-BASED SHIT GOING ON.

CG: GUESS I'M STILL THE KNIGHT OF BLOOD THEN.

CG: YOU KNOW I WAS SORTA HOPING IT WOULD MAGICALLY CHANGE COLOR AFTER ALL THIS.

CG: BUT NO I'M STILL A MUTANT.

CG: OH YEAH IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, WELL, THERE IT IS.

CG: THE WORST FUCKING KEPT SECRET IN THE WHOLE FUCKING HISTORY OF PARADOX SPACE.

CG: I CAN TELL I'LL REGRET THIS TOMORROW WHEN I CAN ACTUALLY *THINK* STRAIGHT.

CG: HEY FUTURE ME! *I DON'T GIVE A FUCK*!

FUTURE carcinoGenecist [AT] 41:30 HOURS FROM NOW responded to memo.

FCG: IT'S FINE THEY ALL KNEW ANYWAY.

CCG: OK WHAT THE ROYAL FUCK.

CCG: I CAN'T

CCG: I CAN'T TAKE THIS.

CCG: AND OH LOOK THERE GOES THAT STUPID NUMBER AGAIN WHAT IS UP WITH THAT ANYWAY.

FCG: WOW YOU/ME COULD USE SOME SLEEP.

FCG: WHATEVER I'VE GOT BETTER THINGS TO BE DOING THAN MAINTAINING DUMB STABLE TIME LOOPS.

FUTURE carcinoGenecist [AT] 41:30 HOURS FROM NOW ceased responding to memo.

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] RIGHT NOW responded to memo.

GA: Hello Everyone

CG: FINALLY.

CG: NOW JUST FOR ERIDAN AND I CAN FINALLY SLEEP.

GA: Yes

GA: About Eridan

CG: OH FUCK WHAT NOW?

GA: Nothing Serious

GA: It Is Merely That He Has Informed Me That He Does Not Intend To Respond

GA: But He Assures Me That He Is Alright

GA: Physically At Least

CG: AND WHAT THE MOTHERFUCK DOES THAT MEAN?

GA: I Have Some Concerns Over His Mental Well Being

GA: It Appears That Killing Two People, Dying, And Being Resurrected Has Not Done Wonders For His Sanity

GA: So To Speak

GA: Not That He Is Actually Insane But More

GA: Unsettled Rather

CG: WELL FUCK IT. SERVES THE BASTARD RIGHT.

CG: WELL, NOW THAT EVERYONE IS ACCOUNTED FOR I AM GOING TO SLEEP.

CG: FOR A LONG TIME.

CG: SO DON'T YOU *DARE* TRY TO TROLL ME.

CURRENT carcinoGenecist [AT] RIGHT NOW ceased responding to memo.

Things go pretty normally for almost two sweeps. Our heroes adapt quickly to their situation, as heroes are want to do. However, things cannot stay this way.

It is not meant to be.

* * *

First chapter done. Hope it wasn't too crappy. Review...?


	2. Be Eridan

This is where the story really starts. If you consider this chapter to be a little... weird, please bear in mind that this story originally went in a completely different direction to where it actually is, and I'm too lazy to fully re-write this beginning bit to fit 100%. Lol.

To sorta make up for it I am posting chapter two as well! ...And also because chapter 2 is a lot shorter than most of the others.

* * *

====== Be Eridan Ampora, almost-two-sweeps in the future

Your name is Eridan Ampora and you are kind of freaking out.

Because this is bad. _Really_ bad. So bad you are actually starting to act like your old jerkass of a self again, from before you went sort of insane and killed people and died and revived. That is how bad it is.

You are holding a letter. You look down at it, and swallow thickly.

You know what this is about. As a highblood, a sea dweller no less, it is customary that you are given some sort of warning, and letters are never sent about anything else, besides. So yes, you know what the letter will say.

You just don't quite want to believe it.

You feel sweat break out across your forehead as you fumble with the envelope, peeling it back and ripping the delicate paper slightly as your hand shakes with stress and fear. You fight the urge to make a dive for your trusty rifle and incinerate the thing to less than ash. You know you have to read it, though. It is incredibly important.

You slide it from the envelope and unfolded the letter. The paper is the highest quality available and feels more like silk than anything else.

Such are the luxuries of the highbloods…

You take a deep breath, swallow again, and begin to read the letter.

…

After you have finished, you seize Ahab's Crosshairs, aim it at the letter, and burn it to less than a crisp, along with a considerable portion of his floor. But you don't care. Fuck. Everything is fucked. Everything is fucking _over_ for you now…

Then you sit down in front of your husktop and put your head in your hands.

You are screwed. Completely, utterly, _royally_ screwed.

When the Imperial Drone comes knocking, you had better be able to supply genetic material to each of his Filial Pails. If you have nothing to offer, he will kill you without hesitation.

You are Eridan Ampora, and you have neither.

====== Be Kanaya Maryam

Since the completion of the whole SGRUB catastrophe, revival, and what could only be described as the 'MiRaClEs' that had managed to salvage your entire planet and race… life has not actually changed all that much for you.

Sure, you're a rainbow drinker now, but as you've always preferred the day to the night, not a lot has changed apart from your new need for blood instead of regular food and of course, the lack of your lusus. And neither really inconvenience you… much.

It is very late at night (or early in the morning) and, as per usual, your are happily asleep in your recupracoon, smeared in Sopor Slime and blissfully oblivious to the world. Sweet dreams, happy dreams…

This is, until your husktop begins to shriek for your attention and you are jerked rather unceremoniously back to consciousness.

Eyes still gummed with sleep, your peer into the darkness of your room in an attempt to see who is bothering you and decide whether it is worth getting up or not. You really hope it isn't. You spent a lot of the previous day battling with the monsters no longer kept at bay by your lusus and although they don't pose all that much of a challenge, they still had you occupied for far longer than you can reasonably enjoy.

Which is why you are not too happy to see that it is Eridan who is bothering you. Has he managed to forget that you sleep at night? Or is it really that important? If things were how they should be, it wouldn't. You would get up, close his stupid chat window and maybe block him for twelve hours or something.

Unfortunately, things are not as they should be. So it probably is 'really that important'.

Grumbling to yourself, you clamber out of your nice cozy 'coon and slither onto the floor, the slime making you go a bit faster than you would have liked and not improving your mood. You slump in front of your husktop in a manner you wouldn't ever let anyone see, and begin to read what the oh-so-high-and-mighty-blood has been bugging you about.

caligulasAquarium [CA] began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

CA: oh sweet jegus

CA: kan

CA: please kanaya youve gotta help me

CA: im serious

CA: this is really bad

CA: i know youre asleep but please answwer

GA: What Is It, Eridan?

GA: This Had Better Be Important

GA: And I Warn You That I Am Not In The Best Of Moods Right Now

CA: kan

CA: thank god

CA: god rather

GA: Would You Please Get To The Point

CA: the drones are comin

You pause, staring at the words on the screen and wondering if you have read them right. Surely it is far too soon…

CA: kan?

GA: Apologies

GA: I Was Just A Little Surprised Is All

GA: I Thought They Would Not Be Coming For A While

CA: theyre not

CA: i mean

CA: ivve recievved a wwarnin

CA: it's gonna be soon

CA: like a few perigees

GA: I Would Have Thought

GA: For Someone With Your Blood Colour

GA: That This Would Be No Problem At All

CA: kan

CA: i havvent got one single quadrant filled

CA: kan i am so fucked

CA: kan im gonna die

GA: Calm Down

You sit and think for a moment. The situation does seem pretty serious. Highbloods are the only ones directly informed but word would get around soon enough and as far as you're aware, not one of your group of twelve has both black and red quadrants filled.

Not even you.

GA: What About Feferi?

CA: wwhat

CA: cmon kan that shit ended ages ago and it wwas just some dumb crush anywway

CA: besides you knoww wwe havvent spoken in ovver a swweep

GA: And There's No One Else?

CA: wwell to be honest i havvent exactly tried much

You elegantly face-palm.

CA: but no

CA: shit kan its gonna kill me

You heave a heavy sigh. This is going to be a problem for all of you. The events of SGRUB have left most of you feeling too friendly with each other to for any sort of hate relationship, but too divided for any flushed… apart from maybe one or two cases…

GA: Try Asking A Few People Eridan

GA: We Are All In This Together

GA: I Think You Will Find That There Are Others Willing To

GA: Ahem

GA: 'Cooperate' With You In Order To Help Themselves

Eridan pauses a bit before replying. You tap your foot impatiently, longing for your recupracoon and a nice, deep, dreamless sleep in which nobody bothers you about dumb relationship problems.

CA: kan im not gonna sink so loww as to ask some cheap pail-filler to help me out

Oh. So that was why. You hastily type your reply.

GA: I Was Not Suggesting You Did

GA: I Merely Meant That Our Whole Age Group Will Be Facing This Problem

GA: Since We Are Friends Dont You Think We Should Be Willing To Help Each Other Out

CA: i guess

CA: better than fillin a pail with a stranger

CA: ugh i did not just havve that thought

CA: movving on

CA: whore you suggestin

GA: I Had Not Put Much Thought Into Whom

GA: That Is More Nepeta's Area

CA: im wworried theyll think its somethin permanent

CA: wwhen fuckin well it aint

GA: Personally I Think You Should Be More Worried About Surviving Than The Consequences

CA: i guess

CA: thanks anyway

GA: You're Welcome

Sweet holy Jegus, _please_ let him be leaving now…

CA: but they fuckin hate me kan

_Ugh_, not _again_… You've already been over this! Been over this _so many times!_ Your patience is wearing thin very quickly. You now understand why his moirailship with Feferi hadn't lasted long. Eridan is truly insufferable when he gets like this…

CA: i fuckin killed fef

CA: no ones gonna want to fill a quadrant with me

CA: let alone a pail

GA: Well As You Have Been Avoiding Them How Are You To Know What They Feel?

GA: No One Hates You Eridan

CA: yeah right

GA: Look It Is The Middle Of The Night And If You Are Going to Be Like This I Won't Suffer It

GA: Goodnight Eridan

CA: wwait

CA: kan

caligulasAquarium [CA] ceased trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

CA: fuck it


	3. Be Karkat

I uploaded this with chapter one... although I guess the order doesn't really matter at this stage lol.

Much shorter than the other chapters, but oh well. Enjoy.

* * *

====== Be Karkat Vantas

You are now Karkat Vantas, and you too are having a few problems.

Due to this, when your husktop begins to beep for your attention with a probably very important message for you that could alter your life forever, you completely ignore it. You are terribly busy doing something that is almost certainly even _more_ important and definitely more worth your time.

I.e., freaking the fuck out.

You do have a pretty good reason, however, for completely losing your shit the way you are. It is still fairly early morning on your part of the planet and you have only recently got up. Your routine hasn't changed much, despite the fact that there is no longer anyone around to enforce it (not that they really had anyway), and everything had been running smoothly before you'd gone and taken a look in the mirror.

And then you had begun freaking the fuck out because, no matter what you do to the angle or lighting or anything, the fact that your eyes are starting to turn a very bright shade of red is not something that can be ignored.

You haven't thought about your blood mutation for a long time. It hadn't really been anything of consequence compared to the horrors and SGRUB. And since it had turned out to be one of the worse-kept secrets in the history of paradox space, you had foolishly let it slip to the back of your mind and stopped worrying about it because you had forgotten why anyone should care.

Now it is painfully obvious why: you stick out like a black bleatbeast in a pack of white.

…Or should that be red?

Whatever the fuck it is, you are freaking out. This isn't supposed to be happening _now_. It's supposed to be happening in the _future_. To a Future Karkat Vantas who is far better prepared for this inevitable event and would most like give you shit about being a coward if Present Karkat bugged him about it.

But it is happening now. You are Present Karkat and you are scared shitless.

You are going to be culled. You just know it. You've been able to hide it up until now, but there is no way you'll be able to avoid it any longer. You have no lusus to protect you, and all of your friends lived miles away. You're not high on the hemospectrum _if you are even on it at all_, and you are basically fucked.

…Fuck.

Eventually, after wasting a good half hour running around your hive and totally flipping your shit, the Husktop finally gains your attention and you sink down before it.

Seeing that it is Terezi who is messaging you doesn't exactly improve your mood.

gallowsCalibrator [GC] began trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]

GC: H3Y K4RKL3S!

GC: K4RK3LS?

GC: HURRY UP 4ND 4NSW3R!

GC: …

GC: TH1S 1S 1MPORT4NT, K4RL3S!

GC: F1N3 TH3N, 1'LL TRY L4T3R!

gallowsCalibrator [GC] ceased trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]

gallowsCalibrator [GC] began trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]

GC: YOU H3R3 Y3T?

CG: YES I AM HERE.

CG: GOGDAMMIT.

GC: ABOUT T1M3!

GC: 1 H4V3 4N 1MPORT4NT M3SSAGE!

CG: TEREZ1

GC: YOU S33 K4N4Y4 M3SS4G3D M3 B3C4US3

CG: TEREZI

GC: 3RIDAN W4S 4PP3R3NTLY FL1PPING H1S SH1T 4BOUT SOM3TH1NG

CG: TEREZI MY EYES HAVE STARED TO TURN

There is a pause in the conversation. You wait nervously for Terezi's reply. She is the one who had first found out your blood colour and seems the most OK with it. You don't give a shit about what Kanaya or Eridan are doing – you need help. Yes, _help_. And you don't care about who it comes from. Terezi is just unfortunate that she'd messaged you when she had.

…At least, that's what you're telling yourself.

GC: 4R3 YOU SUR3?

CG: YES I AM FUCKING SURE.

CG: THEY ARE GOING RED

CG: *RED*

CG: WHAT THE FUCK DO I *DO*?

CG: TEREZI?

GC: W3LL FUCK

GC: TH1S 1S 3V3N WORS3.

CG: WHAT THE FUCK COULD BE EVEN WORSE?

CG: THIS IS THE WORST THING THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN!

GC: NOT QU1T3

GC: OR R4TH3R

GC: 1T M4K3S TH3 B4D TH1NG 3V3N MOR3 B4D.

CG: AND WHAT THE MOTHERFUCK *IS* THIS 'BAD THING'?

CG: YOU HAD BETTER TELL ME!

GC: TH3 1MP3R14L DRON3S 4R3 SCH3DUL3D TO COM3.

CG: WHAT?

GC: 1N JUST UND3R FOUR MONTHS.

CG: FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

GC: 4ND NOT A S1NGL3 M3MB3R OF OUR GROUP H4S BOTH R3QU1R3D QU4DR4NTS F1LLED.

For about a minute, all you can do is stare at the screen. The information whirls around and around in your head like a tornado, not seeming to sink in at all. The world is practically collapsing around you, falling to the ground in a steaming pile of the most messed up shit in the whole history of messed up shit.

Fuck.

GC: ...

GC: K4RKL3S?

GC: :?

CG: FUCK.

CG: FUCK THIS SHIT.

CG: FUCK THIS SHIT TO HELL AND FUCKING BACK.

CG: FUCK.

GC: MY THOUGHTS 3X4CTLY.


	4. Be Nepeta

Hurray for updates!

Since this chapter features talk about pairings, I will take advantage of this to list the ones I have in mind, but could change if people really disagree with them (the ones in bold are the ones I want to keep the most, but don't have to):

Pale Vriska/Tavros  
**Pale Eridan/Kanaya**  
Pale Nepeta/Equius  
Pale Gamzee/Karkat  
**Flipping Terezi/Karkat**  
**Flushed Gamzee/Tavros**  
**Flushed Feferi/Eridan**  
Flushed Sollux/Aradia  
Black Aradia/Equius  
**Black Eridan/Sollux**

The one pairing I am sort of desperate to keep in (because I ship them like crazy) is **black Eridan/Sollux**. If you despise this pairing so much that you don't want to read about it even among a sea of others... then you can read for a while I guess, but you'll want to quit around chapter 25-6.

All the others, however, can possibly be changed, although some more so than others. Some at least have to be temporary due to plot reasons. But I guess I should also say that with the way this story is being written (it just _comes_ so insanely fast and easily that I barely have to think about it), many of those pairings could change anyway.

At any rate, I'm done rambling so... read on the enjoy!

* * *

====== Be Nepeta Leijon

You are now Nepeta Leijon, and you have just received the upsetting news of the Imperial Drones from Kanaya. You have also spent much of the morning being hassled by people for opinions on pairings, so you are feeling rather harassed.

And now Terezi is messaging you. You really hope she isn't here to ask about relationship advice because you might just end up getting really annoyed with her. And you like Terezi so you don't want that to happen.

gallowsCalibrator [GC] began trolling arsenicCatnip [AC]

GC: *GC SWOOPS OV3R H3AD, T3RR1FY1NG AND M4GN1F1C3NT 4S USU4L!*

GC: *BUT UNFORTUN4T3LY GC H4S SOM3 B4D N3WS AND C4NNOT RP R1GHT NOW*

AC: :33 *AC is disapawnted at this mews but takes it well*

AC: :33 *she has received bad mews today already about Imperial Drones*

AC: :33 *AC pawnders whether this is the same thing*

GC: *GC 1S SORRY TO INFORM THAT

GC: OH FUCK 1T

GC: NO, TH1S 1S NOT 4BOUT THE DRON3S

GC: K4N4Y4 TOLD M3 YOU 4LR3ADY KN3W

GC: 1 4M H3R3 TO T3LL YOU TH4T K4RKL3S' BLOOD COLOR H4S ST4RT3D TO SHOW AND TH4T H3 1S TOT4LLY FR34K1NG OUT 4BOUT 1T.

AC: :33 oh no!

AC: :33 is there anything I can do to help?

GC: 1 DON'T R3ALLY KNOW

GC: H3 JUST TOLD M3 TO T3LL 3V3RYON3

GC: TO L1K3, 'G3T 1T OV3R W2TH'

GC: OR SOM3TH1NG I DUNNO

GC: 3V3RYTH1NG IS PR3TTY STR3SSY R1IGHT NOW.

AC: :33 i knooooooow

AC: :33 and efuryones been clawing me about pawrings! :((

GC: OH

GC: SORRY, BUT 1 W4S WOND3R1NG 1F YOU H3LP M3 4 B1T W1TH TH4T

AC: :33 sigh

AC: :33 you are my furend, so i guess i can

CG: TH4NKS

CG: THOUGH 1T'S NOT 4CTU4LLY 4BOUT M3

CG: 1'D L1K3 TO KNOW WHO YOU'V3 GOT 3RID4N P41R3D W1TH

CG: 1F 4NYON3

AC: :33 hmm…

You turn to your shipping wall, which apart from a few updates is exactly the same as before you'd entered the game. Gamzee and Karkat are now confirmed moirails, and Sollux and Feferi are matesprits. You have a few questions marks surrounding Terezi and Karkat because they can never seem to decide if they want hate or pity, and the same for Tavros and Vriska. You'd considered expanding it to accommodate your new human friends but there didn't seem to be much point. It was unlikely that you'd ever speak again because, c'mon, how you people communicate from across a whole universe? It's completely impossible!

But so far, you haven't done anything involving Mr Ampurra apart from crossing out his moirailship with Feferi. He's not exactly your favorite person on the planet so you haven't really given him much consideration.

AC: :33 nothing at the moment

AC: :33 i actually haven't given him much thought apart from de-moirailing him and feferi

AC: :33 why did you want to know?

CG: K4N4Y4 4SK3D M3 TO 4SK YOU B3C4US3 3R1D4N 1SN'T T4LK1NG TO 4NYON3 4ND SH3 W4S TOO BUSY TO 4SK H3RS3LF OR SOM3TH1NG.

CG: B3S1D3S 1'M CUR1OUS TOO H3H3H3H3H

AC: :33 that isn't very polite!

AC: :33 but i know what you mean shipping is sooo furn!

GC: Y3AH AND NO ON3 R34LLY L1KES 4MPORR4 4NYW4Y.

GC: STUCK UP PR1CK.

AC: :33 hmm that is kinda mean Terezi!

GC: OH COM3 ON, 1T'S 3R1D4N! H3'S 4N 4SSHOL3!

GC: B3S1DES, WH4T'R3 W3 SUPPOS3D TO TH1NK WH3N H3 N3V3R SP3AKS TO US 4NYMOR3?

You're not really sure what to say in response to this. Yeah sure, you've never exactly been fond of Eridan Ampora but he is still one of your group. And yeah, he'd killed a couple of people but so had Gamzee and everyone seems to be ok with_ him_.

But Terezi does have a point – Eridan never speaks to any of you anymore. The only one he's still in contact with, it seems, is Kanaya. He is, in a way, being even more unfriendly than he had been before.

Which is sorta saying something.

But… you can't seem to hate him. You remember when you all met up again, after your adventure and found out that everyone was alive, and everyone had been smiling and hugging and some people were even crying because they were so happy.

But not Eridan. Eridan had stood away from everyone, watching you all celebrate with a longing sort of gaze. But he hadn't come near. Even when Feferi and run up to him and hugged him and told him she'd forgiven him ages ago, he hadn't smiled. He'd just stood there, looking so, so sad, and later he had quietly slipped away, gone back to his hive, and had messaged Kanaya to tell her he was ok before going offline and not logging on again for days.

And even when he had, he hadn't answered anyone's messages.

Not yours, not Karkat's, not even Feferi's.

He seemed to be trying to shut himself off from the world.

GC: YOU ST1LL TH3R3, N3P3T4?

AC: :33 oh yes!

AC: :33 sorry i was just pawndering over what you said!

AC: :33 its just that Ampurra seemed so sad when we saw him

AC: :33 i don't think he is a very bad purrson

GC: TH1NK WH4T YOU W4NT. 1 ST1LL DON'T TRUST H1M.

GC: H3 K1LL3D THE G1RL H3 W4S FLUSH3D FOR, GOG D4MM1T.

Flushed…

A thought suddenly occurs to you and you lick your lips nervously. You've been meaning to bring this up for a while but have either forgotten or kittened out. You don't want to start a fight but you really think you should say this…

AC: :33 um, terezi, can i tell you something?

GC: WH4T 1S 1T?

AC: :33 i want you to know that i am flushed for karkat

There. You've said it. Now to wait for her response and hope it won't be too negative…

GC: UH, OK.

GC: 1'D K1ND4 4LR34DY F1GUR3D TH4T OUT.

AC: :33 WHAT?

You… can't say you've expected this. It throws you off quite a bit, but at least it's better than her being angry.

AC: :33 how long have you known?

GC: UH, K1ND4 FOR 4 WH1L3.

GC: 1T W4S PR3TTY OBV1OUS, 4CTU4LLY.

You feel your cheeks fill with colour. This is _sooo_ embarrassing!

GC: LIK3 YOU'D G3T 4LL 4WKW4RD 4ROUND H1M.

GC: 4ND YOU PR4CT1C4LLY B1T TH3 BR41N GLOB3 OFF OF 4NYON3 WHO 1NSULT3D H1M 1 M34N COM3 ON.

AC: :33 Oh nooo! :((

AC: :33 does he know?

GC: 1 DUNNO FOR SUR3 BUT PROB4BLY.

AC: :33 this is so pawkward now! :((

AC: :33 um i hope youre not too mad!

AC: :33 you have feelings for him right?

GC: H3H3H. K1ND4.

GC: 1T'S SORT4 COMPL1C4T3D THOUGH.

GC: H3 W4S G1V1NG R34LLY M1X3D S1GN4LS 1N TH3 V1EL 4ND H3'S B33N B31NG SO 4WKW4RD 4BOUT 1T. :/

GC: BUT 1 GU3SS 1 DO H3H3H. 1S 1T R34LLY OBV1OUS?

AC: :33 no i just have a sorta sense for these things

AC: :33 i am so embarrassed now though does everyone know how i feel?

GC: 1 DON'T TH1NK SO.

GC: MOST P3OPL3 W3R3N'T R34LLY TH1NK1NG 4BOUT TH1S SORT OF TH1NG 1 W4S JUST PAY1NG MOR3 4TT3NT1ON H3H3H3H!

AC: :33 i want to tell him how i feel but im so nervous!

AC: :33 would you mind if i did?

AC: :33 i dont want us to be rivals or anything but...

GC: GO 4H34D.

GC: TH3 4SSHOL3 COULD DO W1TH 4 B1T OF 4 W4KE UP C4LL.

GC: H3'S B33N 4VO1D1NG THE SUBJECT FOR SO D4MN LONG AND 1T'S 4NNOY1NG :I

AC: :33 ok i think i will then!

AC: :33 phew i have been so worried about this thank you!

GC: NO PROBL3M!

AC: :33 i think i will do it now!

AC: :33 is that ok?

GC: Y34H WH4T3V3R

GC: JUST TRY NOT TO FR34K H1M OUT 4NYMOR3 H3'S L1KE, TOT4LLY FL1PPNG H1S SH1T R1GHT NOW.

GC: 1 TH1NK H3 N33DS TO H34R FROM SOM3ON3 WHO'S D3F1N1T3LY FLUSH3D FOR H1M THOUGH.

GC: GOOD LUCK!

AC: :33 K thank mew!

arsenicCatnip [CG] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

GC: H3H3H3H3H3H!

* * *

BTW, I know this fic doesn't have much of a following yet but do I have any English people reading? 'Cause I'm English and I cosplay as cons. This October Expo I am going as Gamzee for at least one day and wondered if anyone else is going. It'd be cool if I could meet people!


	5. Be Gamzee

**YOU.**

**Yes, you. Reading this. Hello!  
**

**Just something I would like to call to your attention before you begin reading...  
**

**There is a thing on the sidebar, as I write this, which says 'Traffic Stats'. It is right as the bottom but I see it and know how to use it. And do you know what it does? Well, it shows me how many hits this fic gets, and how many unique viewers.  
**

**Its says: 98 hits and 40 views from the USA.  
**

**11 hits and 9 views from the UK  
**

**...And between Chile, South Africa, Germany, and the Bahamas, 7 hits and 5 visitors.  
**

**_And I have received TWO unique reviews._  
**

**Anonymous reviews are turned on. I know how annoying it is to not have an account, find a really good fic and be blocked from telling them how much you love it.  
**

**But obviously this isn't happening here.  
**

**It really _irks_ me to know that people are following something I'm writing but not even bothering to leave a comment _once_. _And I can see you, lurkers!_  
**

...And now I'm done complaining, feel free to read on.

* * *

====== Be Gamzee Makara

You are now Gamzee Makara.

You wander along the beach, staring out across the water, one had shoved into your pocket and the other gently swinging a juggling club. The game may be over but the seadwellers haven't gotten any less hostile. There's sand in your shoes and the night air is motherfucking cold, but you don't care. You're kinda used to it. In fact, this has become a sort of routine for you. Go out, just before daybreak, wander up and down the beach a bit, and think.

A lot has changed. Not many others see it and fuck, hardly anyone even knows _why_ things have changed. One of the first discoveries you made after getting back was that nobody aside from your little group of twelve even knew that the apocalypse had happened _at all_. They had gone to sleep in the morning and gotten up in the evening. Nothing had changed.

But _everything_ has changed. _Everything_. The world has been broken up, shaken about, arranged into colour order, used to play dice with, and super glued back together, looking almost exactly the same as it had before.

But it's not. Some pieces are missing. Your twelve lusi – they're still gone, they're still dead. Whatever crazy shit was pulled didn't fix that.

There's other stuff, too, but it's not the sort of thing you can place. It's everywhere, though, in the air you breath but just as invisible. You don't know if it's to do with your blood colour or just your decidedly unstable thinkpan but you _can_ feel it. There _is_ something.

There just doesn't seem to be a way of finding out _what_.

Nobody seems to keen to talk about it, either. Though you guess you can't really blame them – no one really wants to talk to you, not since your little 'episode' (as Karkat puts it) in the Veil. You're kinda cool with it, though, 'cause you're quite used to being lonely… but it doesn't help with the nagging frustration that _there is something the matter and you can't for the motherfucking life of you work out what it is_.

You wish, for what is probably the hundredth time, that you hadn't rotted your mind with sopor slime so much. You're pretty sure you'd be able to think better if you hadn't. But well, fuck it, without the slime you probably would've killed everyone before Sollux had even begun _thinking_ about the game, so there's not a lot of point to that.

But it does make thinking logically hard. Especially when you're so used to simply chillin' along with it. You feel as if whenever you seriously attempt to work something out, your thoughts shift around each other, important ones sliding behind the useless and mundane and forcing you to do a sort of mental motherfucking jig in an attempt to actually grasp one.

It usually doesn't work, either…

The waves crash and wind whistles. Sand crunches beneath your restless feet. Cloud briefly eclipse the two moons, forcing you to stop briefly and wait until they move on, because even with decent night vision your eyes can't see through pitch black.

…Someone is trolling you…

You still use your miracle fetchmodus. You enjoy the colors too much to stop. But you've kinda given up just hoping to get what you want from it and flinging something out to sea. It's much more convenient just to… to kinda reach over and…

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

GC: HEY, GAMZEE.

TC: what is upupup, bro?

TC: BEST MOTHERFUCKIN MOIRAIL?

GC: IT'S KINDA IMPORTANT.

GC: ER

GC: WELL, MY EYES HAVE STARTED TO CHANGE.

Ok. Karkat's eyes colour has never actually meant much to you. That fact that he's a mutant doesn't bother you – it hasn't ever meant anything before. Despite not being exactly opposed to it, you've never seen the hemospectrum as particularly important. It existed and you just happened to be pretty high on it. No big deal.

But now it is proving to be really important. Your best-bro moirail will be an outcast because of his blood colour. You yourself will suffer, the violence natural to your caste growing quickly.

Things are not going well.

TC: whoa, no shit?

TC: that's not good news, bro :o(

GC: TELL ME ABOUT IT.

GC: BUT DON'T ACTUALLY, I MEAN

GC: YEAH.

GC: YOU THINK YOUR EYES ARE TURNING?

TC: haven't actually like

TC: CHECKED YET

TC: but probably.

TC: happens for all of us at around the same time.

TC: RIGHT?

GC: I THINK SO.

GC: OH SHIT GAMZEE, I'M SO FUCKING SCARED.

GC: I'M A FUCKING MUTANT.

GC: I'M GONNA GET CULLED I KNOW IT.

TC: i feel for you, bro.

TC: ain't easy for none of us.

TC: BUT IT'S HOW THE MOTHERFUCKIN MIRACLES WORK.

GC: OH GOG.

GC: DON'T YOU START.

TC: nah it's cool bro.

TC: this sea air is the best motherfuckin miracle.

TC: it's so cool and calming and shit.

GC: GREAT.

GC: JUST BE CAREFUL, OK?

TC: sure thing bro!

TC: didn't survive the motherfuckin apocalypse just to die on this shitty planet

TC: and

TC: bro?

GC: YEAH? WHAT IS IT?

TC: if any motherfuckin son of a bitch

TC: TRIES TO MOTHERFUCKIN MESS WITH YOU

TC: just tell me.

TC: i'll help you out :o)

GC: THANKS, GAMZEE.

GC: I KINDA HOPE IT WON'T HAPPEN.

GC: BUT IT PROBABLY WILL.

TC: i won't let any dumb motherfucker hurt you :o(

TC: JUST LET THEM FUCKIN TRY.

GC: THANKS.

GC: I THINK.

GC: JUST DON'T GET TOO WORKED UP, OK?

TC: sure thing, bro.

TC: best motherfuckin moirail ;o)

GC: RIGHT.

GC: SEE YA, I GUESS.

GC: GOT SHIT TO DO. IRONS IN THE FIRE AND ALL THAT.

GC: AND SWEET TROLL JEGUS I'M SCARED.

TC: it'll be ok bro.

TC: just trust in those miracles.

TC: they do happen, if you want them to.

GC: YEAH, WHATEVER.

GC: BUT THANKS.

GC: BYE.

TC: PEACE OUT, MOTHERFUCKER!

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

You captchalogue your husktop once more, bathing you in the flashing multicolored lights of your sylladex. With a quiet sigh, you turn your back on the ocean and begin to head towards your hive just as the blistering sun starts to appear on the horizon.

* * *

Siiiiiiiiiiiign... review?


	6. Be Equius

Whoa! My rant last chapter may have actually done something!

It has also occured to me that I should reply to anons through the fic, 'cause I can't directly, lol.

anon - you're welcome! =]  
vd - I intend to do so! And the flipping should be amusing ;]

**Just a small notice before you start reading: (btw, no one has actually voiced this concern, but I get very paranoid about what people think of my fics lol.) If you think that the story is a bit slow on the uptake, then you have good reason to. But when I was writing this I felt I sorta _had _to go through all of the characters first, showing how they've developed over the time gap, much like Hussie did when first introducing them. And I'm trying to imitate him as much as possible. Once the twelve are done, which doesn't take up too much time because quite a few share chapters, the story will start to speed up.  
**

* * *

====== Be Equius Zahhak

You are now Equius Zahhak. And you need a towel…

You stride around your respiteblock, wringing your hands and trying not to punch anything. Which is hard. The twisted remains of robots already litter the floor from where you'd punched them to pieces in an attempt to release you pent-up mess of emotions.

The attempts have not been successes.

You want to call for Authour. Have some milk, the glass of which would definitely break, but would at least calm you some.

But you can't, of course, because Authour is dead.

You have been very upset by this. Authour was simply the best butler there was and he really knew how to care for you. But now… Now you are alone. You can look after yourself, of course, but you really miss his company…

You still have your moirail, of course, for which you are grateful. But she lives a horribly long way away from your hive and it had been a while since you have seen her. Vriska, your fellow blue blood, was never exactly friendly and all you really did was double-cross each other frequently. But she has stopped bothering you for parts for her doomsday devices and hasn't contacted you in a long time. It's strange how much you miss it.

You also miss Aradia. Yes, she is a maroon blood. Yes, she is the lowest of the low. But she was still your kismesis, for a time, and it is no secret that your feelings towards her were far more of the flushed kind, anyway…

Just before you can delve too deep into the tangled mess that is your emotions, however, you are thankful to be distracted by someone messaging you. It is Nepeta, and you don't believe you have ever been so glad to be messaged by her.

Relieved, you sit before your husktop and reply to your moirail.

arsenicCatnip [CG] began trolling centaursTesticle [CT]

AC: :33 *AC leaps onto her pawsitively amazing meowrail's lap and gives a long purr*

AC: :33 *she is very glad to see him but unfortunately has something very impawtant to ask*

CT: D- Hello Nepeta

CT: D- I see you continue to partake in these f001ish activities

AC: :33 humph! dont be so mean equius!

CT: D- I apologize

CT: D- It was intended as a thing of endearment

AC: :33 silly equius! :33 its pawright!

CT: D- So what is this impawtant thing you wished to speak of

CT: D- Important I mean

AC: :33 h33h33!

AC: :33 well you see

AC: :33 im kinda nervous, equius

AC: :33 with the drones coming soon, i wanna be ready!

AC: :33 beclaws i dont want to be culled :((

CT: D- Of course you do not

CT: D- It will be a problem for all of us when the time comes

CT: D- But rest assured that I will protect you

AC: :33 aw! thank you equius!

AC: :33 worlds best moirail ;33

AC: :33 but there is something else

AC: :33 im scared youll say no but i wanted to ask you first

AC: :33 beclaws you are my moirail

AC: :33 i think i want karkat to be my matesprit

You consider this a moment before replying. Before the game, you would have instantly forbidden your moirail for even mentioning the name. Now that you actually owe your life to him in a way, however, your view has entirely changed.

AC: :33 i think

AC: :33 um

AC: :33 youre not mad are you?

CT: D- I am not angry

CT: D- After all, even I myself do not have the, uh, most common of feelings towards a female troll of a certain blood colour

AC: :33 ...

AC: :33 you mean aradia?

CT: D- Ahem

CT: D- I would prefer it

CT: D- If we did not talk about her

AC: :33 whatever you say ;33

AC: :33 so i have your purrmission to talk to him about it?

CT: D- Yes

CT: D- I give you my permission

CT: D- In fact, I believe he would be an e%cellent choice in matesprit

CT: D- I believe he is fully capable of protecting you

AC: :33 aw! thank you equius!

AC: :33 world's best meowrail ;33

AC: :33 although i don't n33d purrtecting!

CT: D- Of course you do not

AC: :33 h33 h33! bye bye!

CT: D- Goodbye, nepeta

arsenicCatnip [CG] ceased trolling centaursTesticle [CT]

* * *

Guess who has an exam tomorrow~? Guess who should be revising but is instead choosing to update her fic~? Me! But, on the bright(er) side, I have my last GCSE exams EVER this week, so that means even MORE time for fanfiction after they're done!

...LOL.


	7. Be Feferi

Whoa! Woke up to a _flood_ of reviews today! Made me feel so happy~!

I also have an exam today. _Siiiiiiiign_. And one tomorrow. So this fic might be put on very short hold. My last exam _EVER_ (OMG!) is on Friday, so the hold will be a few days, at most.

Anyway! Enjoy!

* * *

====== Be Feferi Peixes

Before you are Feferi, you begin to wonder if there is really any order to the selection of who you become. Is it significant in any way? You sure _hope_ so…

After a few minutes of thinking you decide that there must be something behind it, something huge and meaningful to the plot of this shitty little fanfiction which shamelessly and terribly attempts to imitate Andrew Hussie's original and amazingly brilliant style. It cannot simply be zigzagging to whichever character the author thinks of next. Yes. There must be something...

_ANYWAY…_

You are now Feferi Peixes.

You sit on your Ψdon's Entente, hanging still in the water as you stare into the deep and shifting blues and greens. You are not smiling. You are too worried to smile. To worried and too… too sad.

Gl'bgolyb is dead. None of your lusi were revived along side you. In a way it is a relief – you no longer have the burden of feeding her – but you still miss her. There is no longer a voice there beside you, whispering words of wisdom and reassurance. That and her protection is gone. You are still the Heiress Apparent. You will still, one day, have to face Her Imperial Condescension in mortal combat.

That is, is you live that long.

You know it can only be a matter of time before the absence of your lusus is realized. You know it can only be a matter of time before the assassins turn up. They could be Threshecutioners, Cavalreapers, Ruffiannihilators, Archeradicators, or any of the other classes used for such deeds. There was no way of knowing. But they will come. As surely as the moons pull the tide, they will come.

There is no point in running away. You can only hope you'll be ready when it happens.

You sigh, and turn to look to your left. A craggy pillar of rock looms out of the ocean floor, towering up to form as island at the surface. On that island is a wrecked ship. In that wrecked ship lives your once-moirail.

Eridan Ampora.

He hasn't spoken to you. Not a word. Hasn't visited you or even contacted you through Trollian, not once. You only ever hear about him through Kanaya, who seems to have made it her duty to keep everyone updated. It's the only way he communicates and it isn't even direct. You don't even know if he knows she does it.

You wish you knew what was wrong. You'd tried visiting, obviously, but he hadn't even answered the door and you weren't going to force entry to his hive. You had more dignity than that. In the end, you had simply gone off in a huff, having yelled yourself hoarse and being too irritated to continue. He's making _you_ feel guilty and _you're_ the one he killed!

…Maybe that's it. You've told him you forgive him. First when you had all reunited, reborn on your planet. You'd even hugged him.

But he hadn't responded. In fact he had flinched away from your touch, refused even to make eye contact. And then he had quietly slipped away without anyone even noticing. Messages from Kanaya aren't enough to convince you that he's ok.

Sometimes you think it must be Sollux. You had been in a quadrant, after all, and Eridan seemed to have never relinquished his flushed feelings for you. You feel guilty about that, in a way – you had turned him down so harshly without even considering his feelings. You guess you'd been too tired of him to really think about what he felt and it makes you feel kinda mean…

But the truth is, your quadrants are even more messed up that Eridan's. You love Sollux, and you know he likes you… but you know that he's also fond of Aradia and although it makes your fuchsia blood boil to think that you might just be a result of a rebound… you can't ignore the possibility.

It makes you so sad.

You hope things get sorted out. With the drones coming soon, you just want everyone to be ok. They're your friends. Together, you escaped the apocalypse, fought hideous creatures, and even created a new universe. You can't forget that. Can't forget how, in that short space of time… blood didn't matter. You, the highest possible, are flushed for one of the lowest. Your leader then and, in all practicality, you leader now, is a mutant with candy-red blood and has no place on the Hemospectrum at all.

You have resolved to yourself that you _will_ replace The Condesce. You _will_ become the Empress. And when you do, you will make sure that the hemospectrum casting is abolished.

No matter what it takes.

====== Be Vriska

You are now Vriska Serket (well, _duh!_ Who else would you be?)

You are Vriska Serket and you are a very, _very_ long way from home. You haven't encountered terrain like this before in your life and it is _really_ getting on your nerves! The foliage is thick around you, making everything nothing but different shades of green, and you are totally sick of the colour. _Sick of it!_ It's swelteringly hot even at midnight and the air is so filled with moisture that you feel practically soaked, although it's mostly your own icky sweat. _Yuck!_

The air is also filled with hover-biters. You're out of repellent and you're too exhausted to continuously bat them away so you just have to watch them as they steal your precious blue blood, sucking until their bodies swell, and causing lumps to rise on your burning skin that are as irritating as _fuck_ with the way that they itch.

You'll bear it though. You have to. Besides, it's not too long now. Or at least, it shouldn't be. And you've got your dice and a good machete so the foliage isn't too much of a problem… or the fauna, for that matter.

You don't remember ever seeing clawbeasts that big before anywhere you mean _seriously_…

But you've been lucky. _Extremely_ lucky. Naturally you would be, of course, but you're not taking it for granted. You did once and regretted it. Badly. When you found out that either way, you would have died.

So, basically, when you _did_ die. And didn't come back like you thought you would.

Things are surprisingly ok between Terezi and you, actually. There is a sort of… unspoken acceptance, you guess. What your ancestors started has finally been finished. Everything has come full circle. There are no more grudges to hold.

But you weren't meant to come back. You _know_ you weren't. It was supposed to end then, end for you at least as a punishment for your crimes.

But it hadn't. Obviously.

Which is why you are here now, hacking your way through a boiling jungle, miles away from your hive and your friends and everything that is familiar. Except danger. Danger is very familiar and still very much there. But so is the thrill so you can bear it.

The sun will be rising soon. You quicken your pace. Dammit, c'mon, it _has _to be around… here… _somewhere…_

You slash at the leaves before you. Branches crash to the ground.

And before you, in the middle of a clearing brilliantly illuminated by the twin full moons… is a temple.

Not a frog temple. You're not sure what happened to those but they don't seem to be important anymore. This one is much plainer and smaller. In fact, it's probably more of an entrance-way. The real treasure must lie deep beneath your feet… But you only really know this because it's what most of the others have been like.

You know it's the right one. That insignia is unmistakable…

You enter. You were right – it is, basically, a door. Steps lead down into the unknown but, as tempting as they are, you are far too tired to explore. You get out you mat and lay it down at the other end of the temple, ignoring the dirt and scuttling sounds. Tomorrow. You will search… tomorrow…

You quickly fall asleep.


	8. Be Sollux

Had a Maths exam today. Joy. But only one more to go and then I'm FREE for the rest of the summer! 8D

Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, as usual~! You really help to keep me going! :D

Don't _think_ I have anything else to say... don't expect anyone reads these anyway lol. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

====== Be Sollux Captor

You are now Sollux Captor and your quadrants feel even more messed up than Feferi's.

You are inexplicably torn between two females – one of the highest possible caste, the other of the lowest. It's always twos for you, isn't it? And you didn't even want it to be this time. You are torn and it hurts and it is hard. It is hard and nobody understands.

That and you are blind. Whatever shit that saved the universe didn't fix that. Sure, it's nice not having to hear the voices of the doomed 24/7 but you haven't exactly mastered Terezi's way of 'seeing' yet and you spend far too much time bumping into things. Far. Too. Much. Time. You're trying to figure out how to use psionics to feels your way around but not making much progress.

You don't lisp anymore, though. You're grateful for that. And it's a good thing you are or you'd _never_ be able to forgive KK.

You sigh, and fiddle idly with a throwing star. As if you need them. You still have them around, though, but mostly because you haven't gotten around to throwing them out yet. Eyes. And eye colour. Karkat's blood is beginning to show and he has spent most of the night flipping the fuck out about it. He was a bit calmer after he contacted Gamzee about it, apparently, but _you_ were still one of the ones who had to deal with the full brunt of his terror.

You can't help but resent him for it a little, either. Sure, he's a mutant but at least he's not _crippled_ like Tavros or Terezi or-or _you!_

It's still weird thinking about yourself like that. More than once you've woken up in the evening and practically flipped the fuck out when everything is still dark when you open your eyes. But what's worse is the feeling that comes _before_ it. The feeling that you'll open your eyes and see the walls of your recupracoon and the blue/red (that theme hasn't changed) of the sopor slime. That feeling is worse because you think that nothing's changed.

But it has. It has and you _motherfucking hate it_.

And now the drones are scheduled to come in a matter of _months_ and your quadrants are the biggest pile of messed up shit on the whole motherfucking planet. You admit that you'd thought that your troubles were over when Feferi died, and then you'd gone and spent all that time with Aradia by the fucking Green Sun. But things can _never_ be that simple, at least not for you, and while you're glad that everyone's back and ok it's _not_ helping with your emotions.

Your hand slips and whoops, there goes that star. Fuck. It's now on the floor somewhere and if you don't pick it up now you are going to tread on it and bump into even more things while attempting to bandage the inevitable gash on your foot.

Some rather undignified scrambling around on the floor later, you have the star again and a few scratches on your fingers. Gogdamn eyes... you need to pick up Terezi's kind of vision. Pronto. Although you are better than you were before. You still haven't gotten used to licking your husktop screen, though...

Speaking of your husktop, someone appears to be trolling you. Joy. Because you _so wanted_ to be bugged by someone incessantly for half an hour, when you could be at least attempting to sort out the jumbled heap that is your quadrants. You've been meaning to set each troll on your contacts to give a different beep note thingy, but you haven't quite gotten around to it yet. So your contactor is still a complete mystery.

Note to self: get around to setting the different beep note thingies.

====== Sollux: Answer whoever is bugging you. Maybe. If you feel like it.

You sit before your husktop once more and very self-consciously lick the screen. It's awkward even with no one there to see it, but your headset is at the other end of your hive somewhere and you really can't be bothered to go grope around for it.

The sharper flavours waft towards you and your blood pusher sinks as you discover who it is. Why her, of all trolls? Why _her?_

arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling twinArmageddons [TA]

AG: Soooooooolluuuuuuuux!

AG: You gonna answer?

AG: It's sort of important, actually ::::\

You decide that you will suffer her. For a while. Because whether you like it or not, Serket has actually been being more civil lately and even been making polite conversation.

But that doesn't mean you'll enjoy it.

TA: oh f0r fuck's sake

TA: what is it

TA: spiderbitch

AG: ::::O

AG: That's rude, Solluuuuuuuux!

TA: just get t0 the m0therfucking p0int

TA: i have better things t0 be d0ing than talking t0 y0u

AG: Heheh, you're no fun!

AG: But alright I'll tell you.

AG: As it is important.

AG: Ahem.

AG: So Sollux,

AG: Have you ever wondered why,

AG: In the over-a-sweep we've 8een back here,

AG: No one has ever turned up to cull any of us?

You pause at this because, well, she has a point. None of your group has a lusus anymore. While it may be possible for you to escape culling for a few months, escaping it for over a sweep is certainly very strange... Other than your quadrant affairs, it is the thing that has weighed most heavily on your thinkpan.

TA: i guess we've just been lucky

TA: ?

AG: Solluuuuuuuux!

AG: I know you're smarter than that!

AG: I also know that you are smart enough to access our files.

AG: Although I am sorta surprised that you haven't done it already.

AG: And told us. ::::\

TA: i guess i just

TA: s0rta didnt want t0 know

All trolls, from when they emerge until they die, have a file. It contains their age, name, wriggling day, address and, most importantly, their 'status'.

I.e., whether they are to be culled or not.

As far as you are aware, Tavros has only avoid a change of status through a combination very carefully avoiding anyone outside of his circle of friends, and having a lusus that cared about him enough not to let it slip. You yourself are pretty sure that your own lusus wouldn't've given a shit – so long as you fed it, it was happy. If you _did not, however..._

Vriska's lusus was a similar case – your pretty sure it would've sold her out immediately if she'd been injured in a way that meant she couldn't feed it. You're not sure how Terezi survived without both a lusus _and_ her vision but it probably has something to do with her being so far away from the rest of civilization to be easily tracked down.

There would be no avoiding it, though. All too soon, not long after you have all given your first 'donations' to the Imperial Drones, you will be either shipped off into out space, or culled.

You are pretty sure which of those applies to you.

TA: i think theyre waiting until c0nscripti0n night

TA: then theyll cull us

AG: You 8etter hope that Conscription Night d0esn't c0me t00 quickly, then.

AG: 8ecause I've looked at the list.

AG: You're not the only hacker on this planet, Sollux.

AG: We're on it. All of us are.

AG: All twelve of us. Myself included.

AG: Apparently, I'm still missing an eye and an arm and there's no point in correcting it. The excuses for most of us are totally transparent.

AG: Things like 'a danger to society'.

AG: Karkat isn't even listed as a mutant, which should 8e a good enough reason, if they know.

AG: Which it seems they don't.

TA: y0u seem very calm ab0ut this

AG: That is 8ecause I do not intend to be culled.

AG: Nor do I intend to go into outer space.

TA: what the fuck

TA: y0u cant just av0id it

TA: if y0u resist then theyll DEFINITELY cull y0u

AG: It doesn't matter, Sollux.

AG: I have more important things to be doing.

AG: Just look at those files, OK?

AG: Or smell, rather.

AG: I think you'll find them interesting ;;;;)

arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased trolling twinArmageddons [TA]

TA: wait what are y0u

TA: 0h fuck y0u

You guess it's worth a look, and after a few minutes of awkward screen-licking and truly expert hacking, you have made your way onto the main database and are sniffing at the files.

They seems to be pretty much what you would expect. But as you scroll down, your friends' names flashing before you, your jaw goes slack and slowly hangs open in shock.

_What_... _in the name of_...

Holy shit.

arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling twinArmageddons [TA]

AG: Soooooooo... you smelled yet?

TA: i just

TA: i cant

TA: there is s0mething wr0ng with this

TA: something s0 s0 wr0ng

GA: Ye-ep.

* * *

Le gasp!

...

Review...?


	9. Be Terezi

I have a History exam tomorrow.

AND IT WILL BE MY LAST ONE HURRAY! 8D

But for now I am still slaving away, revising... and uploading these chapters. Ahem.

Oh, I guess I should warn folks that, especially as I am imitating Hussie's style, there are some _brutal_ cliffies in this fic. Just a heads up ;]

* * *

====== Now be Terezi. Just bare with it a bit longer we're nearly done...

You are now Terezi Pyrope. Bare with what a bit longer? What's nearly done?

Oh well. Probably just one of the repercussions of the game. You fondly remember the mental half-conversations you had with the exiled Black Queen. Mental as in she talked to you that way. You were forced to deface ancient monuments with chalk in order to reply.

You brilliantly waste a good five minutes simply reminiscing about your time in the Land of Thought and Flow. You'd really enjoyed it there. It seemed to make sense...

...Unlike the world you are living in now. It's strange, really, just how much your perspective has changed, altered so much in such a short space of time. You still want to be a legislacerator, but you have come to an important conclusion about your planet:

_It's system of justice isn't just._

It is a form of entertainment in which the lives of innocents are put at risk, either by being tricked into suffering for the guilty party, or by the guilty party being let go because they 'amused' the Subjugulators. It makes you sick.

You are, of course, working to remedy this. But it is going just _sooo_ slowly! You have to be subtle about it, naturally. You've avoiding being culled for a long time and haven't died even once! You have no wish to break your record, thanks. As with what you _are_ doing, however, Vriska has been surprisingly helpful and you are, in fact, waiting for some files from her which should arrive today.

And as you wait, you are entertaining yourself with one of your favorite activities: role playing!

Oh yes! These plushes have committed some terrible crimes in your absence and of course it is your duty to bring them to JUST1C3! Which, with your knew ideals, is slightly more complicated but even more fun!

You while away at least two hours doing this. Meanwhile your friends are engaging in other activities that are doubtlessly far less important and will be addressed shortly.

Probably.

Your husktop begins to beep. The scent of Vriska's cerulean text wafts across the room and your hurry over to your desk.

arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

arachnidsGrip [AG] transferred files image1 image2 image3 image4 AllTheShitIFound to gallowsCalibrator [GC]

AG: Here you are!

AG: They weren't easy to find, but I managed it.

AG: I'm sending the images in a separ8 file. They're pretty 8ig.

AG: And I don't want to risk putting the info up here for all to see.

GC: BUT 1T'S 3NCRYPT3D, R3M3MB3R?

GC: SOLLUX S3T 1T UP.

AG: Siiiiiiiigh

AG: I've already told you! This doesn't work like that!

GC: TH3N HOW DO3S 1T WORK?

AG: I c8n't t8ll y8u!

AG: 8t's frustr8ing f8r m8 t88!

AG: Ugh, just look at them. Preferably in a place where no one else can see you.

AG: Then save them away in the least conspicuous place you can find on your husktop.

GC: F111111N3.

GC: 1 ST1LL DON'T G3T 4LL TH3 S3CR3CY THOUGH :/

GC: WH3N W1LL 1 F1ND OUT?

GC: 4ND WH3N C4N W3 R34LLY *DO* SOM3TH1NG?

GC: TH1S DUMB ORD3R WON'T F1X 1TS3LF YOU KNOW!

AG: SHHHHHHHH!

AG: G8g I kn8w sweet J8gus!

AG: 8t sh8uldn't 8e l8ng n8w!

AG: 8ut 8t m8st 8ll 8e v8ry c8vert f8r n8w!

AG: We w8ll have to m8ve slowly.

AG: And c8refully.

AG: 8f th8t 8s 8ven p8ssi8le f8r y8u!

GC: WHO4 C4LM DOWN!

GC: 1 THOUGHT W3 W3R3 4BOV3 BL4T4NTLY 1NSULT1NG 34CH OTH3R NOW?

AG: UGH.

AG: Look, I'm cold, wet, tired, and covered in insect 8ites.

AG: Which itch like you wouldn't 8elieve.

AG: So forgive me if I am a 8it snappy.

AG: Oh 8nd th8s pl8ce m8ght 8e a8out t8 c8llapse 8nto my h8ad at 8ny m8nute d8d 8 m8ntion th8t?

CG: YOUR H34D 1S TOO TH1CK TO G3T HURT H3H3H3H3H3H!

CG: BUT OK 1 G3T 1T.

CG: K1ND4. :/

CG: 1F YOU H4T3 1T SO MUCH WHY 4R3 YOU TH3R3?

AG: 8ecause I h8ve t8 be.

AG: This is my noble sacrifice and blah blah blah.

AG: Or may8e atonement.

AG: None of this shit is really under my control I can tell you that.

CG: OH J3GUS.

CG: YOU'R3 NOT GONN4 ST4RT T4LKING 4BOUT VO1C3S OR GODS OR 4NYTH1NG L1K3 *TH4T* 4R3 YOU?

AG: Haha, nope! There are no higher beings I know of.

AG: Except perhaps f8. I don't really know.

AG: 8ut I guess

AG: A thief must be punished?

AG: I dunno I'm 8asically just an emissary.

CG: WOW.

CG: ...

CG: TH4T DO3SN'T SOUND L1K3 YOU VR1SK4!

AG: Haha! It doesn't does it?

AG: I'll probably find out more l8er. Or not.

AG: Right now I'm just relaying info to people who should know what to do with it. Actually you might 8e a 8it like this too 8ut not so much.

AG: Like a messenger 8ut a messenger who knows what they're messenger-ing.

AG: Relaying, rather.

AG: Heheh! M8kes s8nse I'd be th8 8ne m8nipul8ed, r8ght?

AG: 8fter 8ll 8've d8ne.

You find something so sad about this. Not the pathetic sort of sad that you can laugh at. Just... sad.

GC: WH4T H4PP3N3D TO YOU IN THE DR3AM BUBBL3S, VR1SK4?

AG: Alas, another thing I cannot talk a8out.

AG: At least not here. May8e in person. If I EVER manage to get 8ack... and catch a 8r8k.

AG: I've pro8a8ly said too much already, actually.

AG: Anyway I should pro8a8ly get moving I can hear this sort of ominous rum8ling sound.

GC: GOODBY3!

GC: 4ND GOOD LUCK! ;)

AG: ADIEU!

arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

Vriska goes offline, and you are left wondering what on Alternia 'adieu' means and where the hell she got it from.

Oh, and about all the other stuff as well. Vriska tries to act like her old self but the facade tended to slip, especially when she was stressed or tired. And then there was all the dumb secrecy. You can see (well, small) why you have to be so careful. Any idiot could. But you're using a private chat system which Sollux himself had recently encrypted for you, so you really don't get why Vriska's being so edgy about it.

That and you're positive that there must be some outside force controlling her, or at least affecting her actions in _some_ way. Vriska just doesn't _do_ this stuff, and while you're all for what the ultimate goal is... you can't help but be suspicious. And worried.

Worried because you don't want Vriska to die again. No matter what she was like and often still _is_ like, you don't want her to get killed. It's not just that you follow what Karkles says about no one dying, either – Vriska may be a bitch but there's a sort of... kinship between you, you guess. Not as strong as it was back in your FLARPing days, but it's still there. She's died once before and it was one of the saddest, most distressing moments in your life – you do _not_ want a repeat of that experience.

You hope she'll be alright...

* * *

The plot thickens! Dun-dun-dun _duuuuuuun!_

/shot

Thanks for reading! =D


	10. Be Aradia

The awkwardness in this chapter defies comprehension.

You have been warned.

* * *

====== Be Aradia

You are now Aradia Megido, and you are rather cold.

You hive still hasn't been repaired and your doubt that it ever will be. For one thing, you were dead for such a long time before the game that you aren't even registered to exist anymore, Sollux has been kind enough to confirm. Your file has been lost to the archives of the deceased lowbloods where it will probably never be set eyes on again.

You are rather thankful for this, actually – it puts you conveniently off the radar for culling and such. Unfortunately, it also means that getting drones to repair your hive is practically impossible.

You have less than half a roof left. You are cold.

You've tried staying with others, of course, but that proved to be incredibly dysfunctional. Both Equius and Sollux had offered and you had attempted to alternate between the two – your potential kismesis and your potential matesprit. Unfortunately this hadn't sat well with either of them. It doesn't help that you're pretty sure that Equius' affections lean more in the flushed direction than you would prefer.

Sollux was perhaps even more of a problem due to his very confused relationship with Feferi. He seems torn between you and the last thing you want is for the (hopefully) future empress to be angry at him. Or you, for that matter. You enjoy being alive far too much.

Even if it does mean getting soaked when it rains. One of the first silly things you'd managed to do was forget it wouldn't simply go through you. You're not making that mistake again in a hurry – once was enough, and also too many, in your opinion. You've contemplated going back to the frog temple, but… too many bad memories. You prefer being at your old hive, even if it's not exactly in tiptop condition.

Because you're alive. You're alive and you love it. Sure, bad things come with it, but you feel that it's worth it. Plus, the voices are gone. Your head is completely quiet, apart from your own conscience that makes an appearance every now and again, when you need it. You can't summon the dead anymore, but you don't consider it all that at all unfortunate.

Your telekinetic abilities, on the other hand, are as strong as ever, as strong as when you were dead, and you enjoy that. It allowed you to repair a bit more of your roof and cover one of the gaping holes. You had expected yourself to get sick, but you haven't yet. And with the ceiling the way it is, on clear days you can stare up through the holes and see the bright blue sky, peeking out through the breaks in purple clouds. You can't look for very long because it's so bright, but you like it. It reminds you a little of the humans' planet's sky, with its gentle sun and fluffy clouds. It also reminds you little of Skaia, although you never saw many prophecies in the clouds. Too busy scurrying around and trying to keep the timeline intact...

You are possibly the only troll who has definitely positive memories of SGRUB. You certainly weren't enjoying it much at the time, but it brought you back to life. It gave you another chance. It gave _all_ of you another chance, even those who may not have deserved it. The only troubling thing is how you're back on Alternia. If you had won properly, shouldn't you have gained The Ultimate Reward, and been allowed into the humans' universe? Something about it doesn't sit well with you but... you don't really like thinking about it. Everything else is too good to be spoiled with such thoughts.

So yes, happy thoughts. Happy thoughts of nice things and oh for God's sake you were being _happy_ why did _he_ have to start trolling you?

You contemplate simply ignoring him. You have been avoiding any confrontation with him, real or virtual, for just under a sweep. He has, however, caught you at a somewhat exposed moment.

centaursTesticle [CT] began trolling apocalypseArisen [AA]

CT: D - Uh

CT: D - Hello

AA: what is it equius?

CT: D - Well

CT: D - Ahem

From the way he's acting, you already know what it's about. Your blood-pusher begins to beat rather harder than it should be.

CT: D - I was thinking

CT: D - As the Imperial Drones are soon to be calling

CT: D - That you would be interested in some sort of arrangement

You saw this coming a mile off, even without Nepeta's warnings and pesterings about it. No Godtier powers necessary. This is going to be awkward to the extreme.

AA: what sort of arrangement?

AA: or rather what quadrant?

CT: D - Does this mean that

CT: D - You are willing to comply

AA: i am asking which quadrant

This is more awkward than anyone could possibly comprehend _ever_. You can only thank the God you don't really believe in that no one else is around to see this. You have been very carefully avoiding anything quadrant-related since the hive sharing with Sollux and Equius ended, but this guy obviously hasn't. Typical, just when you thought that, maybe, your troubles were finally over...

CT: D - I feel that that matter is

CT: D - Uh

CT: D - Relying mainly on your decision

CT: D - Or rather

CT: D - I am 100% willing to allow it to

Just... keep calm, Aradia, keep calm. Keep calm, be grown up about it, think _logically._ You can do this.

AA: i am not saying that i agree

AA: but black would be my preference

CT: D - Oh

CT: D - Alright that is fine with me

CT: D - So it is a possibility?

_So. **Awkward.**_Oh well, at least no towels have been mentioned... yet.

You take a deep breath before typing your reply. Your cheeks feel hotter than they should be and you know you must be blushing, both from the awkwardness and the... the black feelings you admit to harboring towards this particular troll.

Well, now seems as good a time as any...

AA: yes

AA: i quite like being in a quadrant with you equius

AA: but i feel that i am not really in that stage of my life

AA: and since i now have more freedom than i would have previously i dont really want to be pressured into it

AA: no drone will be coming for me

CT: D - Alright then

You hesitate for a moment, before typing your response as quickly as possible and logging off Trollian before there is even the slightest chance that he can reply.

AA: but i admit to waxing black for you

apocalypseArisen [AA] ceased trolling centaursTesticle [CT]

Perhaps one of the worst things about that conversation was that pretty much everything from your end was true.

You are waxed black for Equius Zahhak.

And you have been attempting to avoid this conclusion for quite some time.

* * *

My GCSEs are now OFFICIALLY over!

_**AAAAWWWW YEEEEAAAAHHHH!**_

Plus, I think I did ok! =D And I can now Homestuck and internet and write fanfiction and prepare for cosplay WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTION! ...Although I might get a summer job. I have a really long holiday now.

Thanks for reading! =]


	11. Be Eridan again

_Here we GOOOOOOOOOO!_

XD

Anyone have any preferences for who to 'be' next? Or any random suggestions for commands? That was going to be a thing in this fic but there wasn't enough of a following at the beginning so it didn't happen.

But now it can. Any suggestions...?

Anyway, read on!

* * *

====== Be Eridan again

Whoa! Hold your aquatic hoofbeasts! You've forgotten Tavros! Besides, what made you think it would go in a loop like that anyway? The idea is completely preposterous!

====== Fine then. Be Nitram

You are now Tavros Nitram. Any other troll might be angry that he had almost been forgotten, and left until last, but you're totally fine with it. The whole hate and anger thing has never really applied to you, and there's no reason that it should now.

Nope, you are in fact very happy right now! You are usually quite happy. You and your friends are alive. You have legs, even if they are metal. You can walk, and therefore finally resume living your life the way it was before your, uh, 'accident'. That's what you still call it. So things haven't changed that much, and you like it. The only things. You still have all of your fairy and Pupa Pan posters up, if only mainly because you're too attached to take them down. Your recupracoon still detracts from a decent day's sleep, so you prefer piles now. But not much else has changed. Sometimes, when you wake up, you forget that anything happened at all. It would be pretty easily to do that, actually...

If not for the fact that Tinkerbull is still gone.

You guess you don't mind too much, because you've already experienced his death, but it still hurts if you think about it for too long. Spending the last 12th Perigee alone wasn't very fun... but a few of your friends were nice and chatted to you so that you didn't feel too lonely.

You find it strange thinking about how much time has passed because life seems so normal and the days go so fast! You still want to become a Cavalreaper, and still practice everyday, but on small wild hoofbeasts that you can mentally control. You don't like mentally controlling them much, though, so you have a few favorites who are more used to you and don't mind.

Not that you're sure they ever mind. It's hard to tell when you're controlling them. But it always pays to be polite. Or, uh, it does most of the time...

You are distracted from your thoughts by your husktop beeping cheerfully. You got Sollux to tell you how to modify the sound it makes and be something a bit nicer to hear. He had offered to make it different according to who was trolling you, too, but you declined. You kinda like the surprise and anyway, you doubt that you'd remember which note applied to who.

TwinArmageddons [TA] began trolling adiosToreador

TA: hell0.

AT: uH, hI

You are somewhat curious as to why Sollux would be trolling you. Yeah, you like each other, but you don't really have much in common and don't talk much unless you need help with something computer-related.

AT: sO, uH,,,

AT: wHAT'S UP?

TA: 0h g0g

TA: i'm n0t really sure how t0 say this.

TA: 0r whether t0 say it at all

TA: but fuck i've started n0w.

A sense of foreboding is growing steadily in your protein bag and you swallow. Sollux usually just states things openly. Nothing good can come of him acting this way...

AT: wHAT IS IT?

AT: i, uH, wON'T BE, uH, oFFENDED OR ANYTHING,

TA: its w0rse than that

TA: 0r whatever y0ure expecting

TA: y0u see...

Sollux pauses and you nervously chew on your lip, waiting for his reply despite not quite being sure whether you want to know.

TA: tavros im s0 s0rry.

TA: y0ure slated t0 be culled.

You freeze for a moment, but slowly relax, shock and horror diffusing to become more of a disappointed acceptance. You had been so looking forward to proving your worth, of joining the ranks of the Cavalreapers and showing the world that you didn't need legs of flesh to be a great troll...

But it was really just a fantasy. Like the fairies you used to 'believe' in, even though you knew they weren't real. It was good while it lasted, you guess, but you'd always known inside that you'd never get a chance at living your dream.

TA: y0u 0k?

TA: i'm s0 s0rry, tav

AT: nO

AT: iT'S OK,

AT: i GUESS I ALWAYS, uH, nEW IT,,

AT: sORTA,

AT: aRE YOU, uH, sURE, tHOUGH?

Vriska would call you an idiot and you almost agree with her in a way, but you can't just let go of the idea that maybe it's a mistake... or even a joke or some kind...

TA: yeah.

TA: it says it pretty plainly.

TA: th0ugh y0u're still d0wn as being paralyzed.

TA: there's s0mething really 0ff ab0ut it, tav

TA: vriska's d0wn as having l0st an arm and an eye

TA: she has them back n0w.

TA: and she's t00 high up f0r them t0 just cull like that

TA: it sh0uld have been c0rrected, but it hasn't.

TA: and i'm d0wn as being blind

TA: which makes n0 sense because it happened after the game.

TA: h0w d0 they kn0w?

AT: uHH,,

TA: they can't

TA: it's imp0ssible

TA: there's 0ther stuff t00 but i d0n't think i sh0uld menti0n it here.

AT: wHAT ARE YOU, uH, gETTING AT HERE?

Something suspiciously akin to hope is starting to spread inside of you. You don't want it to be crushed again, but it won't go away and you don't really want it to.

TA: s0mething else is g0ing 0n, here.

TA: serket kn0ws s0me stuff.

TA: she's n0t being very useful th0ugh.

TA: she was the 0ne wh0 t0ld me t0 hack the database in the first place.

TA: i d0n't kn0w what shit she's inv0lved in

TA: 0r what she's dragging us int0 but

TA: well

TA: it might be the 0nly way 0f us making it 0ut alive.

AT: wHAT ARE YOU, uH, sUGGESTING?

AT: oR, uH, wHAT IS SHE SUGGESTING

AT: rATHER?

TA: i d0n't kn0w that yet either

TA: but she t0ld me t0 tell y0u.

TA: and that we had to spread the w0rd am0ngst 0ut gr0up.

TA: but very carefully, f0r s0me reas0n.

TA: apparently, encrypti0n d0esn't make things safe

TA: s0 i am currently typing this in a very dim r00m with the screen light turned right d0wn

TA: i can 0nly type because i can smell the text.

TA: y0u're safe th0ugh, apparently.

AT: uHH,, oK,,,?

TA: it's weird, i kn0w.

TA: but it seems t0 be necessary.

TA: me and vriska managed t0 have quite a l0ng chat bef0re she had t0 leave.

TA: i kn0w it's weird t0 be hearing this but s0mething's changed ab0ut her.

TA: has she sp0ken t0 y0u at all?

You pause a moment to consider the question before you answer. Vriska has spoken to you so little it's almost as if she's been avoiding you... the thing is, though, that you're not exactly disappointed. One of her favorite pastimes was bullying you, once, and you've considered the vast lessening of this practice to be a good thing, rather than suspicious or strange.

Now that you think about it, though...

AT: uHH, nO

AT: nOT REALLY,

AT: oNCE OR, uH, tWICE BUT, uH,,

AT: sHE SEEMED,,, yOU, uHH, KNOW,

AT: tHE SAME AS SHE, uH, aLWAYS HAS BEEN,

AT: tOWARDS ME, aNYWAY,

TA: s0 like a bitch, right?

AT: i GUESS YOU COULD, uH, sAY THAT YEAH

AT: iT WAS A FEW PERIGEES AGO, tHOUGH,

TA: s0mething weird is g0ing 0n with her.

TA: but fuck it i've g0tta give y0u these files.

TA: they sh0w 0ur statuses. y0u have t0 tell the 0thers.

TA: i'll spread the w0rd t00 but it needs t0 be d0ne as quickly as p0ssible.

AT: uH, rIGHT!

AT: i WILL DO THAT!

AT: uH,,,

AT: sOLLUX?

TA: what is it?

AT: i'M SCARED

It's a few moments before he answers, while in the mean time you've practically worn a hole through your lower lip. Things had been so simple and you had been enjoying it, enjoying not having to fight for your life. You don't like the way things are going now _at all_.

His answer is both surprising and strangely saddening.

TA: yeah

TA: s0 am i

TwinArmageddons [TA] ceased trolling adiosToreador

* * *

Tavros is one of my favorite characters. I think he deserves more love, personally :\


	12. Karkat: Prepare to abscond

**Notice:  
**

**This fic was originally centered mostly around Eridan.**

**But it isn't anymore.**

**Due to this, I am having to rearrange a lot of the chapters. For example this one was originally chapter 13.**

**I apologize in advance for any continuity errors which may occur. If I have managed to make a huge, glaring mistake, please tell me so that I can fix it.**

Thank you. Now you may read on!

* * *

====== Karkat: Prepare to abscond the fuck out of here.

It has been decided: you are running away, far away, before there is even the slightest possibility of anyone else finding out your blood colour.

You've already packed everything you might need – clothes, food for a few nights, weapons obviously, and a few personal treasures you can't resist taking with you, including a hand-drawn picture of your late lusus which was previously stuck to your thermal hull, (or as one of those fancy, well-to-do highbloods would call it, 'refrigerator').

You are going to stay with Terezi. No, you haven't actually asked her yet... but she mentioned it once a few perigees ago and you expect the offer is still open... or you hope it is... _please...?_

Besides, asking her would be incredibly awkward. It's better, you're sure, just to turn up. As much as you would rather stay with Gamzee, him being your moirail _and_ having offered already, he just lives way too far away to make it in the time you have. Better to go to Terezi's place first, and _then_ move on if ( or more like when) she becomes unbearable.

Nothing can possibly go wrong, you're sure... Oh fuck, who're trying to kid? _Everything _is going to go wrong.

But you've still got to try. You didn't kill all those imps, fight the Black King, not sleep for weeks, and out smart a virtually invincible demon just to die on your own home planet.

That would be, you are sure, _the dumbest thing_ in the whole history of paradox space that has ever happened and ever _will_ happen.

You're one of the only people in your group who has never died.

And you intend to stay that way.

====== Be someone else

You are now Aradia again. You are not very happy because Vriska Serket, the bitch, has just half persuaded, half bullied you into going back to the frog temple – a place you have been purposely avoiding since you ever got back. But she says it's important and... well, you also just got a message from your future-self.

Saying that it is also important.

So you go.

Down underground, swinging from your whip with a practiced smoothness that actually surprises you. It's been sweeps since you last did that and you had been sure you wouldn't remember how.

It seems that what the mind forgets, the body remembers.

Your landing isn't so smooth, however, and you stagger slightly as you land atop the ragged green stone where the frog head once was. There's an odd pattern to what's been fixed and what's been left broken, if there even is one at all. You desecrated this temple, and it has remained so. Odd, considering that every modification to everyone's hives have been repaired.

To enter the temple and look around. It's dim, but you can see enough. Enough to see that it is exactly how you last remember it.

..._That __**bitch**__..._

Still, you continue on, despite not being in the best of moods. You explore the whole of the temple. It is exactly how you remember it – cold, and completely devoid of anything worth your attention. Except perhaps that the lotus time capsule thingy is gone. But then of course it is – no use for it now, is there?

You're grumpily making your way back when you notice it.

And stop.

And stare.

It's the small brown object you found inside that strange puppety thing, the day the meteor fell and first granted you access to the temple. Strange... you don't remember leaving it here...

Cautiously you pick it up. It's a little worn, but otherwise in perfect condition. You open it and you find...

You find...

_You find...!_

_...!  
__...!_

_...!  
_

...Absolutely nothing. It's as empty as you left it when you first left it here, which was a while ago but still definitely happened. You remember it, now.

You chuck it back onto the floor in disgust. Damn that stupid spider bitch, screwing you around like that! She was probably just bored, the sly little scorpion! It's because of your blood, isn't it? Just because you're lowest on the hemospectrum she thinks she can mess you around! Well, _you killed her once_, AND made it to God Tier as well, so you're _just_ as good as her, if not better!

Grumbling to yourself, you exit the temple, managing to swing and scrabble your way out of the hole without even thinking about how you're doing it.

Just as you manage to poke your head up, the ground shakes with an earth-shattering explosion which almost knocks you down again.

You scrabble on the rim, just managing to pull yourself up and over and away from the rock and dirt beginning to crumbling into the hole. Earth falls away behind you and you scrabble a little further, just in case. Your bloodpusher is thudding hard in your chest and you realize just how close you were to death, _again_, or at least serious injury.

Then you turn back to your hive and feel your face drain of colour.

There is no hive. Just ash, ash and smoking grass. And high in the sky like a little red wasp... is an imperial drone.

Not the bucket-kind. Oh no. No, it's the culling kind.

Did Vriska just... did she... _no..._

Did _Vriska Serket_ just _save your life?_

You have your husktop because she told you to take it. In fact, you have most of your things because she told you to take them. Future-you helped, of course, but... but...

...Shit. You _do not_ want to be in debt to Vriska Serket. No way in hell... Although it looks as though you already are, whether you like it or not.

Speaking of the she-devil...

You open your husktop and log back on to Trollian. Vriska is messaging you again.

arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling apocalypseArisen [AA]

AG: Soooooooo...

AG: Has it happened yet?

AA: vriska

AA: what

AA: the

AA: HELL?

AG: Considering that I just saved your neck

AG: Don't you think you could 8e perhaps a *little* more gr8ful?

AA: you planned this

AA: i know you did

AA: what the hell are you doing?

AG: Siiiiiiiigh

AG: Of course I didn't plan it.

AG: I have no desire for anyone to die, especially not again.

AG: Honest! ::::)

AA: then how did you know?

AA: and why the hell didn't you just tell me?

AG: Seriously?

AG: If a spider8itch, who had gotten you killed 8efore, had told you straight that a drone was coming to inciner8 your hive, you would have 8elived her?

You falter slightly. She does have a point. But that doesn't mean that you believe her just yet.

AA: well then why couldnt someone else have told me?

AG: There was no one else around.

AG: Well I guess Sollux but he didn't want to. Too awkward or something, the wimp.

AA: dont call him that!

AG: Siiiiiiiigh

AG: Ok whatever

AA: how did anyone know it was going to happen anyway?

AG: Sollux hacked the da8a8ase.

AG: You're still listed as dead, 8ut as you can see, that hasn't stopped them from trying to get rid of you.

AG: It was listed as 'clearing sp8ce'.

AG: 8ut o8viously they expected you to still 8e in your hive.

AG: So that you would die.

AG: Again.

She is frustratingly correct. You attempt to find some fault or flaw in her explanation, but you feel too tired and too shaken to put much effort in. Besides, there probably isn't one. Which is sort of the worst thing about this mess.

AA: urrrrgh

AA: it hurts my fingers to type this

AA: but

AA: thank you

AA: i guess

AG: You're welcome! ::::D

AG: So...

AG: Does this mean we're sort of even now?

AA: we were already even

AA: did you forget somehow?

AG: W8

AG: I mean

AG: Oh never mind then

AG: I guess I just kinda hoped that

AG: You would stop h8ing me?

AA: hmmmm...

AA: i will consider it

AG: Thanks, I think...

AG: I'm trying to m8ke up for it

AG: Trying to m8ke up for everything!

AG: Although I can see that it's going to t8ke a long time ::::/

AA: why?

AG: Huh?

AA: why would you try to make up for it?

AA: i thought you enjoyed being a psychopathic bitch

AG: Er, ow?

AA: you know what i mean!

AG: Yeah

AG: I guess I just want people to like me?

AG: Is that so wrong?

She sounds... sincere. It's odd. You haven't spoken to Vriska much (thank God), but on the few occasions you have, she's been pretty much the same manipulative bitch she always has been. This is an odd change of pace and you are suspicious.

AA: huh

AG: ANYWAY.

AG: As much as I just loooooooove talking to someone who h8s me in the most platonic way possible

AG: I have to get on I'm in the middle of some sort of jungle right now and I can hear an ominous sort of rustling in the 8ushes 8ehind me.

AG: Good8ye.

arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased trolling apocalypseArisen [AA]

AA: come on vriska you really expect me to believe that?

AA: vriska?

AA: oh what the hell of course you do

You sign off, stand up, and look around. Well, not much point in going back to your hive _now_, is there? There's even less of it than there was before!

Heaving a heavy sigh, you turn back to the gaping hole in the ground. The frog temple it is, then. At least, until you can find some place to stay that doesn't involve awkward emotions and impossible n-drangles forming. So not either of the people romantically interested in you. Yay.

...Kinda ironic that you're the only person who might have both quadrants sorted and yet also the only person who isn't being pushed to fill them.

It's hard being officially written off as dead and yet having culling drones sent to incinerate your hive anyway. It's hard and nobody understands.

* * *

I love all those Homestuck cliches, lol.


	13. Great Now be Terezi

OMG

THE UPDATE.

CALLIOPE! ;_; Don't be like that, baby! You're beautiful!

She has pretty much the whole fandom's sympathy right now, doesn't she? XD

Anyway, on with the chapter!

* * *

====== Great. Now be Terezi.

You are now Terezi once again!

You are still the Seer of Mind and you know perfectly well that Karkat Vantas will be arriving at your doorstep in about one night's time, seeking asylum like a little lost wriggler.

You honestly cannot wait.

You have it all planned out – exactly what you'll do, exactly what you'll say. What glorious mind games you'll play with his nice soft mind! Not too cruel, though, but enough to make him squirm. And then... well, maybe you'll even succeed in discovering what he _really_ thinks about you.

Your own feelings are pretty muddled, to be honest – most of the time, you're totally unable to decide whether you're black or red for him, or even if your feelings go beyond a sort of snarky friendship. Things got pretty confusing on the meteor, even before Dave showed up... the human whom you're pretty sure you'll never be able to contact again. His arrival just sort of turned it into something of a downward spiral, and things had been bad enough to begin with...

But you knew you'd have to let go of any flushed feelings you may have had, once it became clear that you'd have to go back to your separate planets.

And now everyone is confused and quadrants are all over the place and unless someone actually up and _does_ something, none of you are going to last the first drone visit.

And since nobody _does_ seem to be about to up and do something, you've taken it upon your own shoulders to sort this mess out. Not by acting as quadmaker, either – if things work out how you want them to, nobody should even have to _meet_ the drones.

And although your plan is still in it's first sketchy stages in a way that basically makes it not a plan but more of a collection of ideas... well, you have four perigees to work on it.

And that is enough.

====== Be Vriska Serket.

You youth-roll from the temple entrance just as the whole thing crumbles around you. Ancient relics, now lost forever beneath a mountain of stone... how stupidly poetic.

But you have emerged victorious, with all the data and image files you needed, as well as a few trinkets you couldn't quite help picking up. Old habits die hard, you guess.

It's a very fetching ruby necklace, though, and you quickly slip it around your neck, tucking the charm into your T-shirt front so that there's no chance anyone could see it. Not that they'd be likely to understand its meaning, but... well, you've leaned not to take any chances.

And now for the frustratingly long and perilous journey back, through the sweltering jungle with its biting bugs. But the current quest is complete, and you can return to your hive for a few nights before the next mission comes up. Hopefully.

It has been so long since you've slept in a recupracoon that the daymares don't even bother you anymore. But it sure as hell is more comfortable than a flimsy little mat and blankets...

Machete in hand, you start off back into the jungle. Ugh, you will be here for a _long_ time...

====== Hours in the future (but not many)...

Lousy stupid goddamn animals with their lousy stupid goddamn claws which break your lousy stupid goddamn machete...!

You are running for your life from a gigantic scalebeast, big enough to rival a full-grown dragon in size. _Fuck it_, just when you thought things couldn't get any worse!

Your hand is clamped tightly against your right side, but blue blood is trickling through your fingers scarily fast. The dumb animal must've been stalking you for some time, but you hadn't even noticed! It'd come out of nowhere as soon as you'd stopped to rest and has been pursuing you ever since – probably following the distinctive trail of blood you're leaving behind. You don't know how long its been following you, but it's been _too_ long – the jungle has become a forest, the climate has cooled, and it's getting worryingly close to sunrise.

...

You need to find a clearing... or something... somewhere where there's enough room to fight, or at least attempt to! You have your dice but they're no use here – throwing them just means you risk losing one or two or more among the leaves and plants... but you're starting to slow down and you've lost way too much blood and the world is tipping and spinning and—

Suddenly you trip and you're falling, tumbling over and over down a sharp incline and into a muddy riverbank, leaves and dirt and rocks cascading down with you. You hit the mud and slide into the stream, kicking and flailing in a fruitless attempt at righting yourself.

The scalebeast appears on the bank above you, hungry black eyes glaring down. It's now or never.

Blinking blood from your eyes you reach with your mind. You are still the Thief of Light. So you steal its luck and roll your dice.

_Guillotine de la Marquise_ flashes into existence. The scalebeast looks vaguely confused for a moment, before the blade comes down... followed shortly by its head.

You manage to scramble to your feet just in time to avoid being hit. Swaying dizzily you wade through the shallow stream and onto the opposite bank, where you collapse, panting. Well, it could be worse, you reason – you're still alive.

As the darkness closes around your vision you watch the indigo blood spill into the stream, and your last coherent thoughts are that you really, _really_ hope that that lusus' possible troll never finds out that it was _you_ who killed it...

And then you fall unconscious.

====== Now be someone else. Because I'm evil.

You are now Nepeta, and you have just chickened out of confessing to Karkitty.

You feel like such a scaredy cat! You were talking to him and everything and got into the perfect position to say it... and then you let it go! You just couldn't do it. Your hands sort of just froze and then—

Oh, who are you kidding? You got too freaked out and just let him ramble on, blowing your chance completely.

It probably wouldn't work anyway. You're pretty sure he had flushed feelings for Terezi and it's just a silly crush anyway and... and...

And you still want him. You've always wanted him and it hurts. It hurts and nobody understands.

* * *

*Troll face*


	14. Right, NOW be Eridan again

HEEEEEEREEEEEE WEEEEEE _GOOOOOO!_

lol

This chapter focuses on Eridan. I guess I should put it here that Vriska and Eridan are what could be called the two 'main' characters for this fic, but it features way too many more to put them as the set two, I think. Besides, they're not a pairing.

The theory behind a lot of this is that dying with regrets and spending three years stuck with them in dream bubbles isn't particularly good for anyone's mental state. Just thought I'd mention it now though because it's only actually addressed quite a while later...

I really hope that people read these. Most of my notes are pretty valuable, in my opinion.

* * *

====== Right, _now_ be Eridan again

You are _not_ Eridan again. Eridan doesn't want you to be him. He wants you to leave him alone while he quietly despairs over his quadrants and impending doom and ignores everyone trying to contact him over Trollian, which is a surprisingly large number today.

So you do the next best thing and be Kanaya.

====== Kanaya: Attempt to meddle with Eridan

You do not 'meddle' with _anyone!_ Besides, you know there isn't much point in trying to contact Mr. Ampora – he rarely answers your messages to him, even though you are the only one he'll talk to. And he'd probably miss you under the growing pile of messages he's receiving, even if he _was_ in the mood for replying.

For the last fifteen minutes or so, all you have received from your friends are either urging you to make Eridan answer them (completely pointless) or asking you to pass a message on to him (also completely pointless). You'd put up with it normally but this is getting completely ridiculous. For one thing, pretty much _everyone_ on your contacts list is trying to get your attention and for another, you never did get back to sleep that night. Which is why everyone is trolling you – you're still online, attempting to convince them that there really is nothing you can do. Eridan will only answer if he wants to.

Oh, and in one of the very few messages addressed to you personally, it was revealed that you have been slated for culling.

For being a rainbow drinker, no less.

So you are in an even worse mood then when you first got out of your recupracoon.

You have just finished a lengthy and exhausting debate with Karkat, of all people, about the 'fish-faced jackass' who was managing to drive him up the wall _without even doing anything and that is the motherfucking problem_, and the exchange has left you too tired and too irritated to deal with anyone else.

You log off, shut down and captchalogue your husktop, pick up your handy lipstick/chainsaw and leave your hive. You have an urge to feel the sun, and if you are quick enough you should be able to make it to the frog temple before any of the undead get a whiff of you.

Yes, the frog temple is still there. As is Aradia's. They just don't seem to serve a purpose anymore. Still, your makes a nice little home-away-from-home when you need it to.

Such as now.

You scramble up the cracked and crumbling steps just as the first hand gropes up from beneath the sands, and you quickly disappear inside. They technically shouldn't be a problem for you, since you are technically one of them… but nobody seems to have told them that.

So you spend far more time than you would like fighting and/or running away from them.

Within the depths of the temple, you retrieve a nice comfy cushion from your sylladex and sit yourself down upon it. You have also brought your sewing kit, and are considering continuing one of your many projects. You do them mostly to fill the time. No one really wants them and they aren't for anybody in particular… although you do fantasize a little about what sorts of clothes you would make for your friends, which colors and patterns and fabric…

You doze for a few minutes, leaning against the cool stone wall, until you decide that you've been ignoring everyone for long enough that they've given up on trying to contact you. Then you turn your husktop back on.

Four people immediately start attempting to troll you again, but after scanning their messages, you decide to ignore them. You are only going to talk to someone if it is definitely important and _not_ something you know already.

You set your husktop aside and begin sewing. You're not 100% awake so it takes longer than it should do to get some decent work done. But it's a calming process. After you've finished a small embroidered design on a skirt you're working on, you're feeling a lot more like yourself again – calm, for one thing, and far less irritated.

Then Eridan starts trolling you.

You hesitate, needle poised to begin another stitch as you stare at the purple text.

Then you sigh, and begin your reply.

caligulasAquarium [CA] began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

CA: Uh

CA: hi kan

CA: sorry I guess

CA: for earlier I mean

CA: I wwas out of order

GA: Please Don't Apologize

CA: It's So Unlike You

CA: you're the only one im talking to

CA: i should at least be polite to you

GA: You Sound Depressed Again

GA: Please Don't Be Depressed

CA: it doesn't matter kan

CA: wwell all die soon anywway

CA: wwell

CA: wwe should

CA: someone wwill probably pull some shit though and savve at least half of us though

CA: thats howw it wworks isn't it

GA: Is This Why You Contacted Me?

GA: You Say That You No Longer Desire A Moirail And Yet You Tend To Treat Me Like One

CA: shit

CA: sorry i can shut up if you wwant me to

GA: No

GA: It Is Perfectly Alright

GA: I Merely Think That If We Are To Become Pale We Should At Least Make It Somewhat Official

CA: no

CA: im sorry

CA: you shouldnt havve to listen to my shit

CA: i dont wwanna do that to anyone again

CA: im so sorry kan

GA: No

GA: Stop

GA: Eridan You Are Being Ridiculous

GA: Everyone Is Worried For You Eridan

GA: Karkat For One Is Convinced That You Are Purposely Harming Yourself And I Cannot Blame Him For Making That Assumption

GA: Please Talk To The Others Eridan

GA: At Least To Convince Them That You Are Still Alive And That I Have Not Been Simply Making Up Our Conversations

GA: I Have Had To Send Screenshots Of Our Logs On More Than One Occasion Simply To Prove That Our Conversations Are Real

CA: fuck im sorry im causin so much trouble kan

CA: but i cant

CA: i just fuckin cant

CA: ive tried but im so scared of wwhat theyll say

CA: i dont reply but i read

CA: so that i dont miss anythin big like a second apocalypse or shit

CA: i know im slated for cullin for some shit reason

CA: but i just cant talk to them kan

GA: If Such A Thing Existed On This Planet I Believe That I Would Submit You To Therapy

GA: You Are Displaying Great Signs Of Some Sort Of Mental Problem Eridan

CA: yeah

CA: probably

CA: as youvve said like a thousand times before

CA: but this is besides the point you see

CA: please take this seirously

CA: and ill even drop my dumb accent

CA: im so grateful that youvve been here for me

CA: youre like my anchor kan

CA: i need you

GA: You Do Not Need To Thank Me Eridan

GA: I Am Only Doing What Is Natural As A Friend

GA: I Will Be Here For As Long As You Need Me

CA: thanks so much kan

CA: i needed to hear that

caligulasAquarium [CA] ceased trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

Eridan Ampora is a ridiculously frustrating person to moirail.

Mostly because as soon as he realizes you're trying to act as one, he either changes the subject or stops talking altogether.

You wonder why he contacted you this time. It wasn't merely for idle conversation – he usually starts those with a simple 'how are you', and the conversation rarely deviates away from your latest projects, the weather, how much the undead annoy you, and other small matters of little interest. Still, it's nice to talk to him.

This time, however... it was more as if he was... saying goodbye.

You are suddenly so, _so_ worried about him.

* * *

Replies to my anons:

anonymouse - Why thank you! And it is building up to something BIG, that is what! 8D

anon2023 - Glad you like it so far, at any rate! XD I am afraid that I cannot really tell you if it goes shit. That's more up to you to decide. I hope you continue to enjoy it, though!


	15. Be the Author

Really intense shit for the new few chapters.

Starting with this one.

Hope I pulled it off ok dejssiojrfjwdiodj I'm nervous...

* * *

====== Be the Author

You cannot be the author because _I_ am the author, thank you very much! I am the author and this is my fanfic and _this_, right now, is not a self-insert. Those are always a bad idea. Hussie actually managed to _die_ in his...

I guess I should mention that a lot of stuff in the story so far has been happening simultaneously. At the beginning, when I was reintroducing all the trolls, that was pretty much all going on at the same time. Hopefully you picked this up. If you didn't, then... I kinda feel like a bit of an idiot.

Any way, this a just a small moment to say:

HOURS IN THE FUTURE... _BUT NOT MANY..._

====== Be Feferi

It's happening.

The inevitable.

The event you have always known would happen ever since you came back to you planet and discovered you lusus to be gone.

...You're just sort of surprised at how many of these Threchecutioners aren't actually sea-dwellers, and are in fact mostly land-dwellers wearing special breathing apparatus.

But you can tell they have been trained specifically for underwater battles. They move like sea-dwellers, and hang in the water with expert ease. There are so many. You are surrounded and alone. So, so alone. More alone than you ever have been in your whole life. Your feeble weapon isn't enough to take them all on.

This may well be the end...

But there's just one thing you have to do.

cuttlefishCuller [CC] began trolling caligulasAquarium [CA]

CC: )(ello

CC: Eridan?

CC: I guess you still don't want to talk to me 38(

CC: And I guess I can't really blame you.

CC: I just t)(ink you s)(ould know t)(hat t)(is will probably be our last conversation.

CC: Or t)(he last time I contact you at least.

CC: The Threchecutioners )(ave come.

CC: T)(ey are surrounding my )(ive 38(

CC: T)(ere's not)(ing I can do to stop t)(em.

CC: And I'm sorry for w)(at I've done

CC: So sorry

CC: I've always t)(oug)(t t)(at

CC: Maybe

CC: If I'd been a proper friend to you

CC: None of the stuff in the Veil would )(ave )(appened.

CC: It's a bit late t)(ou)(, )(u)(?

CC: I guess

CC: I just wanted

CC: To say goodbye...

CA: Feferi

You stop.

And stare.

Eridan has replied. A strange feeling, warm and sweet, seems to bloom inside you, soft and comforting. He decided to answer, the last time you would ever speak. Fuchsia tears prick at your eyes as you regard the screen. He's only written one word, but it's enough to make you realize just how much you have missed his particular shade of purple.

CA: Feferi, I not gonna let you die

CA: Feferi

CA: look out of the window

Slowly you turn, and look.

The fear that fills you has nothing to do with your own small, insignificant life.

Eridan hangs in the water outside, stripped of his scarf and his cape. He's wearing his alchemised computer glasses (he'd managed to keep those?) and clutching Ahab's Crosshairs in his hands.

He is facing the advancing army.

Dread, like icy water fresh from the mountains, replaces every semblance of warmth within you. No... No, please, he's not... he _wouldn't_...

You are so shocked, so horrified, that you almost miss his next words. Almost, but not quite.

CA: i'm sorry it had to be this way, Feferi

CA: i'd hoped i could make it up to you

CA: but in the end i was just a fuckin coward

CA: as usual

CA: i wish i could make it up to you

CA: maybe this is how

caligulasAquarium [CA] ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]

====== Can we be Eridan now? Please?

Yes. Eridan will let you be him, now. He's pulled himself together a little.

You are about to engage in what will be the first, and very possibly last, large-scale battle of your life. The one with the Black King didn't count – it wasn't just you fighting. You had allies. Now, you're on your own. It's almost poetic, like the tales of those legendary conquerors that once fascinated you so much. Poetic and stupid and _fucking scary._

It has dawned on you slowly that this would happen. That it was an inevitable event. You did not see it at first, you did not _want_ to see it, and if you had you would have one a lot of things differently. Like actually prepared for it instead of just curling up in your hive and wallowing in your own misery like the selfish idiot you are.

But it's too late for that, so you're better off just thinking about it. You don't have much time and, if Feferi is to have any chance of living at all... you're gonna need backup.

caligulasAquarium [CA] began trolling twinArmageddons [TA]

CA: uh

CA: hey

TA: wh0a

TA: seri0usly

TA: y0ure c0ntacting me?

TA: heck, y0u're still alive?

CA: yeah

CA: look i don't have much time

CA: goddamn threchecutioners are coming on fast and trust me, there are LOADS of them

CA: probably an entire battalion

CA: empress aint takin any chances i can see that

TA: what

TA: what are y0u talking ab0ut?

CA: look

CA: fef cares about you way too much to ask you herself

CA: but i cant possibly handle them all on my own

CA: i just have to hold out for a while

CA: until you show up

CA: as im seriously hopin you will or else fef doesnt have a chance

CA: shit i shouldve been better prepared for this

TA: wait s0 this is it?

TA: the assassins?

TA: fef menti0ned s0mething ab0ut them but

TA: i guess i

TA: i guess i

CA: thought it wouldnt be so soon?

TA: yeah

CA: fuck me neither

CA: but please just come here as soon as you can

CA: im even being all nice and civil and hopefully you can read what im sayin because ive dropped that dumb quirk and it feels fuckin unnatural

CA: and this is the god honest truth i swear

TA: i

TA: shit

TA: 0f c0urse im c0ming

CA: great

CA: how long will it take you aprox?

TA: 0h g0g i dunn0

TA: maybe an h0ur at full psionic speed?

TA: can y0u last that l0ng?

TA: ive already set 0ff by the way

CA: ill do my best

CA: and i wont let her die i swear

TA: i believe y0u

CA: thanks

CA: shit i have to go now theyre advancin fuckin fast

TA: 0k

TA: g00d luck

caligulasAquarium [CA] ceased trolling twinArmageddons [TA]

You take a deep gillful of water, if that is even a phrase, and captchalogue your glasses, swapping them for you more conventional pair. You cannot afford to be distracted by messaging at this stage and besides, the text obscures your vision.

You swim up, up above the roof of Feferi's palace. The army advances from all sides, but at least you can see them from here. You hope she's had had the sense to hide. You really, really do. Even Ahab's Crosshairs – heck, even a fucking _science_ _wand_ – isn't enough to hold them off for every long. You'll be lucky to last a full hour.

But you can at least try.

You fire first, the beam of your gun taking out whole rows of the attackers and sending rainbows of blood into the nice pure sea. You'd be angry – _how dare_ they pollute your waters with their filth! – ...if you weren't so preoccupied, that is. At the moment, you have a slight advantage – you're long-range and they'll have to get super close before they can do any actually damage... but there are so many, and as soon as they get close, it's over.

One young troll, not yet seven sweeps old (although very nearly), against an entire battalion of adult Threchecutioners. You don't have a hope.

But you can at least go down fighting.

* * *

I see Feferi as the sort who (platonically) loves pretty much everyone, regardless of cast of past or personality.

And now for my truly lovely anons.

JDJWIODEJHDJ thank you both so much! I really hope I can live up to your expectations, anon 2023! I will do my best. And nameless anon, _thank you_. It's really great to get a review like that! I seriously want to be an author, but it's a competitive job and I may not make it. So the sort of things that _both_ of you have said really help me to believe in myself and give me confidence! It might be a little while until you see this, nameless anon, but I think I should still put it in. Thank you again! =D


	16. Gamzee: Ponder

I really wish Hussie had made a map of Alternia.

But in a way I don't because it means that I can pretty much decide where the characters are in relation to each other for myself, lol.

By the way, this story is rated M for three reasons:

The first is swearing. That sort of goes without saying.

The second is blood and gore.

We see the second in this chapter and I won't mention the third yet.

* * *

====== Gamzee: Ponder.

You have come outside again.

You don't know why. It's daytime, and the sun is scorching down upon the back of your neck. But you're still outside.

It seems... the right place to be. Like you need to be here. No voices or shit telling you – just a gut feeling. And you can usually trust your gut.

The sea laps at your feet, and you stare out across the horizon. The sun is behind you, but its reflection is enough to make you squint. It's so damn bright. You're not supposed to be out in the day, not supposed to be so near the water, either... but something's telling you that you have to be. That it's important.

...You've never realized before just how far you can see during the day.

At night, the sea and sky blend together into a smear of darkness. But it's much, much clearer now... and you can see a shape just below the horizon... no, more than a shape...

It's Eridan's hive. Huh. You've always known he lived fairly close – well, enough for your catapulted Faygo bottles to reach him – but you've never actually seen his hive before...

You take a step forward... and instantly leap back again as the cold water soaks into your shoe and the words, the only instructions he ever gave to you, ring inside your head:

_Keep away from the ocean..._

Your mind tells you one thing while your gut tells you another. You've never been to sea – never planned to, never wanted to. But now you feel inexplicably drawn towards the vast blue expanse in a way that you never have before.

_Keep away from the ocean..._

You twist your hands into the hem of your T-shirt, never once removing your eyes from the small black shape as you engage in a mental war with yourself.

_Keep away from the ocean..._

You can see flashes of light against the sky that are nothing to do with the sun on the sea. In the sky above a red form hangs, the white insignia visible even from your distance. Something bad is going on over there. Something _really_ bad... Something involving guns and fighting and forces sent by the Condesce herself.

_Keep away from the ocean..._

Feferi's out there, too, it's something to do with Feferi and you have never cursed sopor slime so much because if it hadn't gone and fucked around with your thinkpan maybe you could actually _work out what the motherfuck is happening_. But the answers and information are sliding about all over the place and the words are echoing in your head and you _just can't make up your damn mind._

_Keep away from the ocean..._

arachnidsGrip[AG] began trolling adiosToreador

AG: excuse me

AG: 8ut i need to 8orrow you for a moment

AG: hope you don't mind

AT: uHH,,

Suddenly, you are moving so fast that you're at the other end of your hive before you can even comprehend that you've left your husktop. You arms and legs move completely of their own accord. You have no control. And for a moment, all you can think about is how this is _exactly_ like that time by the cliff and wonder how long it will be until she makes you jump off something again.

But she doesn't. Instead, running around your hive is about the only thing she's making you do. You find it easy to simply sit back mentally and let it happen as you collect various items for all over the place, many of which you'd forgotten you even _have_.

Then, you're loading everything onto your old four wheeled device that you keep around mainly because you don't know how to get rid of it, and exiting your hive.

This is when you start to get worried again. Where on Alternia is she taking you?

Your robotic legs run a _lot_ faster than your flesh ones ever did. You shoot over the grassy hills like a meteor from the Reckoning, so fast that the world around you blurs into a slur of browns and greens and the pinks, blues and oranges of the dawn-lit sky. You're heading towards a forest that you've never set foot – or wheel – into before and you know that something bad has happened or is about to happen because in all the times that Vriska Serket has messed with you she had _never_ done anything like this.

You enter the trees and your legs instantly stop pumping, just like that. You're sent cannoning into the four wheeled device and nearly knock everything off, but just about manage to regain your balance. Your legs may be robust, but your bloodpusher is pounding so hard you think it might break a rib and the air scrapes your lungs as you struggle to breath.

'V-Vriska?' you call, as soon as you're able to. She must be around somewhere nearby... but you can't see her anywhere...

'Over here, dumbass!' a voice replies. A voice that sounds a lot like Vriska's but can't be because Vriska would never sound _nearly_ so weak and exhausted and_holy shit._

She's there, to your right, she's on her hands and knees and she's shaking all over and there's blood and it's her own and she's covered in dirt and leaves and there's _blood_ and she looks likes she's about to faint and there's _blood_ there's _blood_ there is _so much bl—_

'Don't just _stand_ there!' she pants. 'Come and _help_ me!' You stagger towards her but you have no idea what to do and she gives you a look that makes you feel like a blundering wriggler and puts one hand to her temple. Then you're staggering back to the four wheeled device and realizing that most of the stuff she had you put in there was medical supplies. She makes you grab three packets of gauze, four rolls of bandages and a large bottle of antiseptic. Then she rolls onto her back and closes her eyes as you get to your knees beside her and begin the long and horrific task of seeing to her wounds. She can't stop your hands from shaking or tears of fear and stress from running down your face. But you disinfect the gashes in her skin, manage to stem the blood flow and get the white linen wrapped around her body.

She has suffered wounds to her right side, her right arm, and left temple and from the look of them, they've been left exposed for far too long. You hope she'll be alright. Yeah sure she's mean and manipulative but she's also a friend, if in a weird lovey-hatey kind of way. You don't want to see her die again oh please don't let her die...

'Good!' she manages to hiss out once you're done. There wasn't any decent painkiller at your hive so she had to suffer for the whole of the treatment. 'Now scrape me off the floor and put me in the damn four wheeled device! I'm too tired to walk and you can't fucking carry me all the way back!'

She doesn't control you this time. You just do it. It's a bit awkward because you have to tip all of the other stuff off while carrying her and then load it onto her lap, but she doesn't seem to mind.

Or maybe she's simply too tired to comment.

But eventually she's settled into the chair and sipping from a bottle of water she had you bring, and you've got your hands on the device's handles (you'd never thought it would be this way round _ever_) and are steadily pushing your way back up a narrow, winding trail towards you hive.

Vriska doesn't say anything in the journey back. You keep on trying to speak, but every time you open your mouth you completely lose confidence and just close it again. Besides, Vriska would probably just tell you to shut up anyway...

The sun has cleared the horizon by the time you make it back, and you quickly retreat into the cool interior of your hive.

'We're, uh, here,' you say awkwardly. Vriska straightens up a little and glances around.

'Way to state the obvious, Toreasnore,' she mutters, before putting her hands to the wheels and rolling herself further inside, looking around as she goes. You hurry along behind her, wondering whether to say anything or not. Luckily, most of the important stuff is still on the ground floor. You've started to use upstairs again, but mostly just for storage.

'The, um, ablutionblock, is at the end of the, uh, the hall,' you stammer, following Vriska along the narrow space and left, into the darkness of the recreationblock. You quickly turn the lights on.

'Thanks,' she replies, rolling herself over to a high-backed armchair. She gets shakily to her feet before collapsing into it, and sits with the air of someone bravely attempting to salvage their dignity. You guess it must be quite embarrassing for her.

'It there, um, anything I can get you or, uh, do?' you ask, hovering nervously at the entrance to the room, not really sure what to do with yourself.

'Get me a blanket or something,' she replies, shifting slightly and wincing. 'I'm going to sleep.' She closes both eyes as you hurry from the room, scurrying upstairs to retrieve a clean blanket. When you come down, Vriska appears to be asleep. You covers her with the blanket as carefully as you can, before switching off the lights and leaving the room, closing the door behind you as quietly as you can.

You stand awkwardly outside of about a minute, before it occurs to you that you should probably be getting some sleep too, and make your way into your respiteblock. Things have just gotten a lot more interesting and... you're not sure if you like it or not...

* * *

Personally, I think that Gamzee has been legitimately brain damaged by sopor. But in this fic at least, Karkat's mere existence keeps him docile. That doesn't mean he doesn't have the ability to be violent and dangerous, but it does mean that he isn't. Most of the time.

Sadly, his mind isn't nearly as sharp as it could be, either.

anon2023 - I imitate Hussie! That is literally what I do to pull off 2nd person. Of course, I have to fill in with words what is otherwise told with pictures, but other than that I just copy the way he does it. And I am so, _so_ glad you think I've got them all in character. Now I just have to focus on keeping up the standard, lol.


	17. Eridan: Lose battle

More of reason number two in here.

Intense, man.

Enjoy!

* * *

====== Eridan: Lose battle.

As the plume of violet spreads through the water, drifting almost lazily upwards from the twin slashes across your chest... the only thing you can bring yourself to feel is a vague sense of disappointment.

You'd been doing so well, considering the circumstances. You'd kept them at bay for about thirty-five minutes, which you think is quite a feat considering that there were over a hundred of them. Looks like all that angel killing actually came in useful...

Feferi hadn't gone to hide, but this turned out to be something of an advantage. You'd managed to position yourself outside her bedroom window, meaning that you only had five sides to worry about defending, rather than six.

But as soon as they'd gotten near enough to strike you, it was only a matter of time. One managed to get your face first. Nothing fatal – just two lacerations, one above and the other below your right eye. But it had been a painful distraction, and a good one. And as soon as you were distracted, another had nipped forward and taken a swipe at your torso.

Distantly you hear the window breaking, faintly you think you hear Feferi scream. You want to move, but your body isn't responding. Ahab's Crosshairs slips from your numb fingers and falls into the darkness beneath you. You don't think your gills are working. Everything is fading into an ocean of black as you sink lower and lower, towards the distant ocean floor. You doubt that you will be conscious when you reach it.

Sollux had better hurry the fuck up or Feferi's just gonna die. Or maybe she's already dead. Maybe you failed in doing the one thing that you thought might just possibly set everything right. Or at least have everyone stop hating you...

====== Feferi: Do something badass.

As you watch Eridan start to slowly sink, violet blood blossoming from his chest... the only thing you can feel is an indescribable mix of terror, agony and _rage_.

It isn't any normal kind of anger. It's a rage so strong that it consumes you entirely, tints your vision with a strange fuchsia hue, and makes every regard for your own life go completely out of the window.

You grab your trident just as the window smashes. A scream of pure fury rips itself from your throat as you run, _charge_ straight at the invading Threchecutioner.

The higher up the hemospectrum one goes, the higher the level of violence, insanity and bloodlust one finds. People like Tavros are virtually harmless unless really, _really_ pissed off, while those of Vriska's class tend to have truly sadistic sides to their nature.

You yourself have been fairly lucky in that suppressing your more lethal side is pretty easy. You simply take a deep breath of air (or gillful of water), and count slowly to ten. It usually works, and you can continue with your life without worrying about the... less appealing part of your personality.

But it's still there. You are the Heiress Apparent, at the top of the Hemospectrum. A bunch of trolls have just pissed you off and not a single one has a science wand.

You will enjoy killing them...

But...

...But Eridan comes first.

====== Well hurry up then!

You dive through the window with a practiced grace only a sea-dweller can possess. Like a little minnow you streak passed your attackers, under their outstretched arms and between their legs, over to where Eridan is slowly sinking towards the seafloor.

You try not to look at how pale he is. At how his eyes are half closed with only orange showing and you especially, _especially_ try very hard _indeed_ to avoid looking through the cloud of violet and at the double slash through the skin of his chest.

You just wrap your arms around him, set your eyes on the surface and swim like you've never swum before.

You break through the surface and scramble onto Eridan's small island. You stumble away from the water, unconscious friend in your arms, and set him down on the rocky sand. His scarf and cape are lying nearby and you quickly snatch them up, shaking away grains of sand and binding the scarf firmly around Eridan's chest.

His breathing is erratic, and his gills are flapping desperately. His body is confused, unable to decide if it's on land or in water and struggling to draw oxygen from the thin air. The only thing you can do to help is turn him onto his side, hoping that it'll help him breath. You cover him with his cape, but cannot do anything more before the first Threchecutioner emerges from the sea like some sort of monster – all metal and plastic with no true skin showing, no eyes visible, and hooked blades in place of hands.

You grasp your trident, and prepare to fight.

====== Sollux: Fly faster than you ever have in your life.

The white, yellow and black energy crackles around you as you hone in on Feferi's husktop's signal, which is the only thing you have to track now that Eridan isn't online. The world blurs by in a sea of colors, too fast for you to properly detect, but you are aware of the lush green forests ending and the vast ocean beginning.

_So close... Almost there..._

You smell the rainbow of blood, carried on the ocean breeze, long before you would've been able to see it. Feferi's doesn't seem to be in it (thank God), but the scent is so thick and has so many layers that you know it could just be buried beneath the cobalt and violet and countless other flavors...

Then you reach Eridan's hive and feel relief wash through you as you discover that she is not only alive, but _fighting_. The gold of her trident, like the purest, most delicious honey imaginable, stands out starkly against the rocks and sand as it swings and stabs and brings enemies to the ground one after the other, ceaselessly. _Mercilessly_.

With one wave of psionics, you knock out every Threchecutioner with his head above water. It's only as you land beside her that you can taste the pale fuchsia of her tears.

'What's wrong?' you ask immediately, stumbling over the jagged rock to place a hand on her shoulder. She's shaking with fear and adrenalin and probably so many other things as well.

'Eridan,' is all she says, simply and quietly, and for a moment you are _convinced_ she means he's dead. And it's odd, because you don't really know how to feel about that.

But then she's stumbling away and collapsing to her knees beside a body on the rocks, a body you'd simply passed off as a fallen Threchecutioner but now realize with a jolt that it isn't.

'Aw, shit,' you matter, kneeling beside Feferi and feeling for Eridan's body. He's cold, like all sea-dwellers, but not the dead sort of cold and his heart's still beating, albeit faintly. You can smell the violet of his blood, sickly sweet compared to the colour of his cape or text. You almost wish he _was_ dead. Because to witness him like this is just... wrong.

But then there's no more time to worry or freak out or do whatever the fuck you _were_ doing because Threchecutioners are emerging everywhere from the water and _holy shit_ there are so many of them. A whole battalion. A veritable motherfucking _army_ of adult trolls, all trained to kill, all out for blood.

So you get up, clenching you fists, the psionics gathering around you horns and empty eye sockets and you will fight as long and as hard as you goddamn can.

* * *

I used to be absolutely _awful _at writing action. It just came out as rushed. Hopefully I'm better at it now. Review...?


	18. Tavros: Check on house guest

Not many reviews for a last chapter :/ It wasn't _that_ bad, was it?

D=

I think I am going to underline all of the commands now, if just to separate them more clearly from the rest of the text.

* * *

====== Tavros: check on house guest.

You honestly intend to. Really, you'll do it. Very soon... Probably... Ok maybe...

Well.

You have actually been awake for at least three hours, but for a long time you were too afraid of waking Vriska up to leave your respiteblock. The sun had barely set when you first woke up and she'd looked pretty tried when you'd last seen her so you thought it was better just to let her sleep. Your pile is comfy so it's fine, even if you are sort of hungry...

But you can hear movement coming from the recreationblock, which happens to be pretty much opposite to your own respiteblock, so you guess it must be alright to get up now... or at least you hope it is.

You tiptoe around the room, which isn't particularly easy considering that your toes, as well as your feet, shins and thighs, are made out of metal. Meaning that moving quietly isn't very easy.

But you manage to get properly dressed without bumping into anything or making too much noise, and are in the process of quietly shuffling from your room, hoping to use the ablutionblock before you have to reveal that you're awake, when the recreationblock door opens and Vriska steps out.

There is a somewhat awkward pause while she just stares at you, and you look at the floor while wondering what on Alternia to say.

'You know, Tavros,' she begins, voice a weary drawl, 'it's usually the custom to offer guess a 'good evening' at the _least_, especially when they've just spent the whole night in an armchair without a drop of sopor.' You manage to look at her face long enough to see that she looks even more exhausted than yesterday.

'Er, um, good evening,' you stammer, nervously fiddling with the hem of your T-shirt. Vriska gives a derisive snort before striding straight passed you and into the ablutionblock. You stare at the closed door for a few seconds, listening to the sound of the ablutiontrap taps being turned on, before you pull yourself together and enter the nutritionblock, intent on getting breakfast.

====== Vriska: wash.

You are covered with blood and dirt and _gunk_ that you don't even want to think about. You turn both taps on to their highest and strip off all your clothes, letting them drop onto the floor. Damn, should've brought more in with you. Looks like you'll have to yell at Tavy to make him get some of his. It'll be ok if you turn the T-shirt inside out to hide the sign and his pants should fit well enough.

You'd had to abandon your pack. It was too heavy and you were bleeding too much. It's a shame, because it had your clothes in, as well as most of the stuff you'd managed to collect. But your husktop, thankfully, was light enough for you to carry by yourself, even if it had been a bit awkward.

You need to get better quickly. Quickly, so that you can retrieve all of your stuff before something or some_one_ finds it before you. It would be bad if that information got into the wrong hands, to put it mildly.

You poke gingerly at the bandage around your abdomen and wince. It'll take a while to recover fully from this one, but it hasn't bled through and you know that if you're still walking, you're not just gonna keel over and die. What doesn't kill a blue blood right away won't ever kill them.

You examine your forehead before the cabinet mirror can get too steamed up. The bandaging isn't very neat but it's ok. You know that there is more gauze and bandages in the cabinet so you carefully pull away the strips of cloth and peel off the blue-stained fabric. The cut isn't that bad really – head wounds just bleed a lot.

You then peel off the rest of the bandages – where did that cut on your arm even _come_ from? – and gingerly step into the ablutiontrap, or 'bathtub' as it is _really_ called, wincing as the minor cuts and bruises sting in the warm water. You turn the taps off before the tub can overflow and kneel, sponging the blood and grime off your body as gently as you can. The water is soon tinged with cobalt and a layer of silt forms around your folded legs. _Yuck!_

After cleaning yourself off, you drain all of the water and sue the shower to wash away the remaining dirt not washed off the bottom of the tub. Then you fill the bath again, using mostly hot this time, and have a nice long soak. The more sensible part of your mind is telling you that this can_not_ be good for your wounds and that the scabs are in danger of dissolving or something and opening all your cuts again.

But it feels _so good_...

After a while of simply relaxing you dip your whole head under the water before sitting up and climbing out of the tub. Grabbing a towel, plasters and fresh gauze and bandages, you get to work at re-dressing your cuts. Tavros hadn't done a bad job but he obviously wasn't an expert at first aid. And while you aren't either, you can at least do a slightly better job. At least _your_ hands aren't shaking uncontrollably.

After that, you wrap your body with towels and bundle your hair up in another. As you pick up the heap of smelly fabric that is your clothes, touching the cloth as little as possible... you hear a small tinkle against the floor tiles.

It's the pendent. You had almost forgotten about it.

You pick it up and put it back on, hiding the actual pendent beneath your towel. The metal and gemstone is cold against your skin, but you know that it'll soon warm.

'_Cooled as the irons did, heated as his fury was.'_

Interesting how some of the most interesting sayings are based off of less than a hour of pain-induced rambling. But you guess that there _is_ at least _some..._ 'sym69lic' meaning in them...

You exit the ablutionblock and shuffle into the nutritionblock, awkwardly holding your towels up with one hand and keeping your hair wrapped up with the other. To your mild amusement, Tavros colours deep brown as soon as he sees you and almost drops the frying pan he's holding.

'Can I borrow some of your clothes?' you ask. Tavros nods jerkily, and stumbles from the room still holding the frying pan. It's cute in a way. He re-enters briefly in order to put the frying pan down on a counter top before he practically runs upstairs. As you sit down at the table you can hear muffled thuds and bangs as he searches.

You don't have to wait for very long, and soon he's jogging back into the room, holding a neatly folded pair of trousers and a shirt still on a coat hanger. You take them and going into the ablutionblock again to get changed.

By the time you come out, breakfast is on the table. The aroma of eggs and oinkbeast meant is enough to make your mouth water and your glad he's done a lot because _boy_, are you _hungry!_

Tavros keeps his eyes carefully averted as he nibbles at his food and you stuff your face (_damn_, can he _cook!_)

'_Sho_,' you say around a mouthful of meaty goodness, once you've slowed down a little. 'You gonna say anything?' You swallow, and regard him carefully while licking grease off your fingers. You can see your 'host' fiddling nervously with the table cloth while his gaze flickers around the room, landing on anything _but_ you.

'Just ask me a question or_ something_,' you press, slightly amused but mostly exasperated. It's not usually _this_ awkward between you two... although you guess that was before you genuinely killed him and then only contacted him about twice a sweep.

...Way to go, Vriska!

'Well, er...' Tavros begins, looking around the room as if hoping that a topic will suddenly jump out from a cupboard and present itself to him. He looks mortified and it is both utterly adorable and hilarious at the same time.

Then his eyes alight on your chest and it is with a sort of internal cringe that you realize you've left the pendent hanging outside of your inside out T-shirt.

Oops.

'If you mind me, uh, asking... why are you wearing Karkat's sign around your neck?'

You study Tavros carefully for a few moments, an idea steadily forming in your mind. The question is innocent enough, but once you give an answer, _any_ answer, he will undoubtedly wish to know more.

'Tavros...' you say, leaning forward across the table. He makes the mistake of looking into your eyes and you capture him instantly in your gaze, 'how much do you know... about ancestors?'

* * *

As if it isn't painfully obvious what Vriska's doing without dropping all the hints...

Anon2023 - That's fine with me! Though, do you have any suggestions on how I could make them better?

And the relationships are going to be everywhere. Interpret that however you want. X)


	19. Karkat: Arrive

This chapter is somewhat pointless and has nothing to do with the last two.

Which is of course why it is here. ;P

Imitating Hussie's style does of course include making large cliffies and then leaving for a while. (That and I enjoy torturing my readers.) But it won't be too long. Probably.

* * *

====== Karkat: Arrive.

Hours of pointless wandering have finally paid off – you have arrived at Pyrope's hive. About fucking time. Those maps were completely useless and you're sure you've spent _way_ more time in the light than can be healthy. Just abso-bloody-lutely _perfect._

Your mood does not improve when you round the final bend to see Terezi outside her treehive.

Waiting for you.

And grinning as if Twelfth Perigee has come early.

And then it clicks. _Of course_ she knew you were coming! She's the gogdamn Seer of Mind! She's probably known ever since your last conversation with her, and _boy _is she gonna make you suffer for it.

By the time you reach the hive, branches lavishly decorated with hanged plush dragons swinging lazily in the breeze (seriously what the fuck is up with that?), you are not in the best of moods.

'Karkles!' Terezi exclaims, giving a little leap of joy. 'I've been waiting for _aaaages!_ I thought you'd never get here!'

'I'm starting to wish I hadn't,' you grumble, earning a cackle of laughter from the psychopath currently skipping around you like a wriggler at Twelfth Perigee who has just received an enormous wrapped up gift and cannot _wait_ to sink her claws into it and discover whatever shit it is inside.

You are not looking forward to having her claws dug into you, but you also know that it will inevitably happen. You can already see it, like images on a computer screen, her and her mind games picking and prodding at you whenever she can...

God_dammit, _you are such an _idiot!_ What part of your _retarded_ mind had thought that this was a good idea?

She leads you to the lift, laughing all the way as you ascend into the treetops. She leads you inside, where everything is impossibly bright with colors and light and you can feel a headache coming on already.

She's obviously had time to prepare – even set up a fucking respiteblock for you, complete with desk and recupracoon. You are somewhat grudgingly touched by the effort she's put in... or you were, at least until your realized that the room contains far too much bright candy red to be normal.

She is never gonna let you forget it, is she?

====== Terezi: Fondly think up the ways in which you will pick Karkles' mind to pieces.

You do not have to think any up because you already have! Yet you do fondly think over them, nonetheless. Oh, this is going to be so~ much~ fun~! You've missed a good mind-picking. You haven't had much of an opportunity since your FLARPing days.

And maybe, you will finally, _finally_ be able to discover what he _really_ thinks of you.

You leave him a while to get settled in and retreat into your own respiteblock, still grinning with glee. Now, what were you doing before he arrived? Oh yes, you were midway through a particularly _intriguing_ court case involving—

Huh?

Someone appears to be trolling you. You wonder who it could be...

apocalypseArisen [AA] began trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

AA: sorry to bother you

AA: but i was wondering if you could do me a favor

GC: WH4T'S UP? WH4T DO YOU N33D?

AA: a drone has just blown up my hive completely

AA: and i do not wish to stay in the frog temple for very long

AA: it is very damp and cold in here

You stare open-mouthed at the screen for a few seconds, before typing the only thing that seem to sum up your opinions on this news.

GC: :O

AA: yep

GC: OH MY

GC: TH1S 1S V3RY B4D N3WS. Y3S OF COURS3 YOU C4N ST4Y!

It messes with you plans a little, but you can't possibly turn her down. Besides it would be nice to see her again... or smell. Dumb expressions. Whoever made most of them obviously wasn't blind!

GC: BUT K4RKL3S 1S 4LSO H3R3

AA: really? why?

GC: H3H3!

GC: H1S 3Y3S 4R3 TURN1NG SO H3 R4N TO M3 L1K3 4 L1TTL3 LOST WR1GGL3R

GC: 1T W4S COMPL3T3LY 4DOR4BL3

GC: OR MOR3 ADOR4BLOODTH1RSTY ;)

GC: BUT TH1S 1S OFF TOP1C WHY ON 4LT3RN14 D1D 4 DRON3 BLOW UP YOUR H1V3?

GC: 1 THOUGHT YOU W3R3 L1ST3D 4S D34D!

AA: i am

AA: it was for clearance i believe

AA: a new hive will probably be built shortly

AA: at least in the next few perigees

AA: but it appears that the aim was indeed to kill me

GC: D:

AA: my thoughts exactly

GC: HOW LONG W1LL 1T T4K3 YOU TO ARR1V3?

AA: a couple of nights at the most

AA: i am a pretty fast flier

GC: OF COURSE! H3H3H I'D 4LMOST FORGOTT3N YOU COULD FLY!

GC: 1T'S B33N TOO LONG S1NC3 W3'V3 M3T UP W1TH 34CHOTH3R :[

AA: much too long indeed!

AA: despite the circumstances I am looking forward to coming!

GC: TH4T'S N1C3 TO KNOW!

A thought strikes you. Quite a wonderful thought which quickly becomes an even more wonderful idea! Oooh, _yes!_

GC: H3Y, M4YB3 W3 COULD H4V3 SOM3 SORT OF H1V3 P4RTY!

GC: SOM3 OF TH3 OTH3RS C4N COM3 TOO!

AA: oh yes!

AA: yes that will be a lot of fun!

GC: ONLY G1RLS THOUGH

GC: SO TH4T W3 C4N TORTUR3 K4RK4T ;D

AA: that sounds utterly cruel and very uncivil

AA: lets do it!

AA: besides i think i have had enough of guys :/

GC: OH D34R. TH4T DO3SN'T SOUND GOOD.

GC: BUT 4CTU4LLY 1 TH1NK W3 4LL H4V3

GC: W3 N33D A N1C3 B1G G1RLY G3T-TOG3TH3R!

AA: oh yes!

AA: ive never had a nice big girly get-together

AA: have you?

GC: W3LL, NO

GC: BUT 1T C4N'T B3 TH4T H4RD! W3 JUST H4NG OUT AND T4LK 4BOUT G1RLY STUFF. 4ND PROB4BLY PL4Y A F3W G4M3S!

AA: nice games?

GC: OH Y3S! N1C3 G4MES!

GC: NOTH1NG WH3R3 4NYON3 G3TS HURT :/

GC: TH4T WOULD B3 GO1NG 4G41NST TH3 PO1NT

AA: sounds like fun!

GC: 1T W1LL B3!

GC: TH3 ROS3 HUM4N M3NT1ON3D TH3M ON TH3 M3T3OR ONC3 AND I'V3 4LW4YS W4NT3D TO TRY 1T OUT!

AA: cool!

AA: i sometimes wish id come with you then

AA: but the dream bubbles were fun

Oops. You are suddenly not liking the direction this conversation is heading in. Time to change the subject!

GC: SO, WHO 3LS3 CH4LL W3 1NV1T3?

AA: nepeta and feferi would be good

GC: OH Y3S! WH4T 4BOUT K4N4Y4 4S W3LL?

AA: of course!

GC: 4ND WH4T 4BOUT... VR1SK4?

There is a short pause while you wait for a response. You'd been slightly worried about mentioning Miss Serket. One of the first things she and Aradia had done once you'd all arrived back on Alternia was have a massive argument, complete with blood-based name calling. It hadn't been pretty. Kanaya had had to step in before it got too violent.

AA: i guess she can come

AA: we sorta made up a bit i guess

AA: and anyway shed probably gatecrash if she knew it was happening

GC: TRU3

GC: GL4D YOU'V3 MAD3 UP 4NYW4Y!

AA: yeah

AA: though something weird is going on i just know it

GC: Y34H

GC: I KNOW WH4T YOU M34N, 1 TH1NK

You hear a muffled yell from the other room, which you think might just be your name, and quickly type your next message.

GC: OOPS 1 TH1NK K4RKL3S W4NTS M3 FOR SOM3TH1NG

GC: T4LK MOR3 WH3N YOU GET H3R3?

AA: yeah fine

AA: smell you later! ;)

GC: H3H3H3H! ;D

apocalypseArisen [AA] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

* * *

The stuff in this chapter _is_ relevant. Just not quite yet.

Say, if I get enough reviews, maybe I'll post the next chapter today so that you aren't all left hanging so bad!

Oh yeah, anons:

Anon2023 - thank you! I will bare that in mind. I won't go back to change the chapter just now, but it will help with future writing. Maybe at the end of this fic I will go back and improve it. But anyway, it was helpful =]


	20. Tavros: Work out how you got into this

Here we go again! 8D Enjoy!

(_please...?)_

I do get insecure about my writing, especially when I don't know what the majority of readers think of it. =/ Constructive criticism is just as welcome as praise! Maybe even more welcome because it'll help me get better!

(Oh and the original chapter title was too long, so I shortened it. It wasn't just a mistake.)

* * *

====== Tavros: Attempt to work out how you got into this mess.

You have decided that you quite enjoy doing laundry. You enjoy doing it because it is allowing you to _think_.

You can hear Vriska in the other room, packing everything you might possibly need. Somehow – and you are almost positive that she didn't use mind-control – she has persuaded you to go on some sort of expedition with her, at least in order to fully explain why she was wearing, and continues to wear, the necklace with Karkat's sign on it.

====== Cast your mind back to the conversation.

'Tavros, what do you know about ancestors?'

The question takes you completely by surprise. You open your mouth, unsure of what to say. The answer is, honestly, not a lot. It's more of a highblood thing and you're not even convinced that they exist. But Vriska and Eridan both claim to have one and even Gamzee has mentioned it a couple of times, so you guess there must be _some_ sort of truth in it.

'Well, uh, they lived a very long time ago,' you begin, repeating the exact wording that you were schoolfed when you were younger. 'And they, er, their DNA is, um, the closest to ours?' It comes out as a question. Vriska does that eye-roll thing that makes her whole head move.

'Not a lot, obviously!' she says, before sitting back and spearing another egg with her fork, slowly squeezing the yellow part out before folding it over and stuffing it into her mouth, somehow managing to avoid getting yolk all over her. You have no idea how she manages to do that.

You wait for her to swallow, trying not to look at her face for too long, or at any of her for that matter.

'You see,' she continues, leaning forwards again and jabbing her bacon-loaded fork at you, 'I've been on a bit of a quest recently.' She pauses to east the oinkbeast meat, making a muffled _ummh!_ sound of appreciation.

'You're a really good cook, by the way,' she says, mouth still full. You feel your cheeks color slightly and look at the floor. You're not really – you're just very used to having this for breakfast so it might as well be done properly. You don't see any point in correcting her, though.

'I have been finding out quite a bit about our ancestors,' she says, once she's swallowed. 'Particularly Karkat's.'

You manage a mystified, 'oh?' as she takes a sip of water, and then she's off again.

'What his ancestor did is suddenly becoming very relevant to our current situation, and as I am _just so noble_ I have taken it upon myself to tiptoe through ancient tombs and temples in an attempt to gather more information. There's a _shocking_ lack of it open to the public.' You have the feeling, mostly due to the slight smirk on her lips, that at least part of that was something of a personal joke. You keep silent, though.

'I'm afraid I can't really explain it very thoroughly in words,' she continues, after eating another egg straight from the frying pan you'd balanced on the table after she got through her first two helpings.

'So I was wondering,' she says, fixing her gaze upon you once more, 'whether you'd like me to _show_ you.' A deep sense of foreboding begins to gather inside you. You had been _enjoying_ not having to risk your life, finding _pleasure_ in being able to stay in your hive and not do anything life-risking, and now you have the very distinct feeling that you are about to begin doing so again. It's something to do with the sparkle in her eyes and the barely-contained excitement you can sense.

'My pack is still in the forest somewhere and I _really_ have to collect it.' Her voice is starting to take on a wheedling tone, and she looks at you sweetly from beneath her long dark eyelashes.

You swallow thickly.

'Besides, I need to get going as quickly as possible and I'm not really in much shape to be running around... or even wheeling myself. So I kinda need... _help_.' Then she jerks her head up and stares straight into her eyes, and she doesn't need to use a single psychic gift because her gaze is _just that powerful_ and you know, right then, that you are well and truly caught in her web. The web she has been spinning around you ever since she started talking. It is sticky and you are caught.

And the strangest thing is that you don't really think you care.

'I'll come with you,' you say, without even thinking. And her smile is as bright as the sun.

'Excellent!' she says, standing straight up and heading out of the room. At the doorway, she pauses, turns slightly and adds, 'thank you, Tavros, really. I'm grateful.' Her smile is different, and she sounds... sincere.

====== Tavros: Come back tot he present.

You come to your senses and quickly load the last item of clothing into the clothwasher. It just happens to be Vriska's bra. Your cheeks heat up instantly and you close the door quickly.

You just aren't used to this! Having another troll in the hive _at all_ is something new to you and having a _female_ troll in your hive, particularly one who has both _kissed you __**and**__ killed you_ is completely messing with your thinkpan!

You narrowly avoid putting the clothwasher onto a setting that would shrink every item inside it down to a size too small for Tinkerbull, set it to the right one and then leave it to do its job.

You can't deny that you're sort of excited, though... if in a rather anxious sort of way. The old thrill is coming back, the thrill of living out a few of your favorite stories like one of the heroes of old... or something along those lines anyway. At any rate, it's a feeling you've only had once before – in Sgrub, with Vriska, doing side-quests and enjoying it, even if they weren't actually crucial to the game. You'd both enjoyed it, after your initial... misunderstanding... and it hadn't exactly lasted very long but the point is that you'll be doing it again, and maybe this time, you won't screw up so badly.

You still feel really bad about that. Even though on the few occasions you've brought it up Vriska's just laughed and probably tossed her hair on her side of the screen, and reminded you that she got you back and that it's in the _past_ so there's no point in dwelling on it. It doesn't really help though.

You wish you could have her attitude, sometimes... At least in a way that didn't involve kernalsprites and awkward body-sharing experiences...

Ok. You're gonna try not to think about that. That experience was... _too_ weird.

'I'm pretty much ready, Tavvy!' You jump and twist around. Vriska is standing in the open doorway – _why_ hadn't you thought to close it? – grinning widely and holding two large backpacks. She tosses one over to you and you just about catch it. It's bulky, but not too heavy. She's carrying a lighter one – you guess most of her stuff must still be in the forest – and now has her hand on one hip, feet apart as she grins down at you.

'I'm ready when the clothes are!' she declares, before striding from the room.

_Where_ did all that energy _come_ from?

* * *

I was _so hungry_ when I wrote the bacon and eggs scene. _Because_ I was writing about bacon and eggs! And I'm a vegetarian! I should _not_ be craving bacon! ...But fried eggs are so good.

...Review?


	21. Sollux: Psionic

Chapter 20! Wahoo!

MOAR intenseness here.

I'm actually not sure how logical some of this is.

But they're trolls. They're stronger than humans by default.

Can we just leave it at that?

* * *

====== Sollux: Psionic like you've never psionic'd before.

You don't need to be told that! You are trying with all your might, but you can't risk knocking out Feferi too and there're _just so many_ of them and you can't kill them all with one blast like this. They keep getting up. You can feel blood trickling from your eye sockets and _taste_ it as it enters your mouth, and you know you're pushing it way too fucking far, but you keep on going.

You _have_ to.

You don't know how long it has been, whether it's been hours or days or _weeks_ or just a few minutes. All you know is that your head feels like it's about to crack open and your horns are about to fall off and that they just _keep on __**coming**_, rearing up from the sea like monsters from the darkest of daymares. It's horrible. You wish you'd never come.

But eventually, the majority have fallen, and not gotten up. Repeated psychic blasts do that, and while you doubt that they're dead, they won't be waking up any time soon.

Panting hard, and barely able to keep upright, you stagger around to face the last group of Threchecutioners. They're big and strong and obviously resilient... probably trained to have a resistance to psychic blasts... but please, they _can't_ keep on standing for much longer.

With a roar of pain and rage you let loose a final blast of psionics, a blast that seems to vibrate in your thinkpan and in your skull and in every fucking bone in your fucking body as if it's about to rip you apart from the inside... but you do it.

You do it and they drop to the ground like stones.

_Finally_. It is _finally_ over. It's finally over and you feel as if you're about to die but you turn around, back to Feferi, and smile.

You're only alerted to the one remaining Threchecutioner by her terrified shriek of warning.

You turn, but you know it's too late. You turn, but you know that you couldn't fire another blast if you tried. You turn, time in time to smell it raise it's bladed hand high above its head, glinting in the sunlight, and you turn just in time to be thankful you won't have to actually _see_ it coming down.

Then a _crack_ rings out through the still day, the sound of metal hitting bone... and the adult troll, a whole head, neck, shoulders and chest taller than you... slumps to the ground at your feet.

Behind it stands another troll, nearly as tall and the one he just knocked out.

'Honk, motherfuckers. Motherfucking _honk_,' he says.

======= Be Gamzee, two hours in the past.

_Fuck this shit_.

You run back towards you hive, scrabbling over the loose sand. Your body feels to big, your limbs too long, like there's way too much of you all of a sudden. It's hard to coordinate and you realize that you haven't actually _ran_ for quite a long time.

You don't go back inside. Instead, you run to the left, into the archway, and stand in the shade for a moment, blinking as you eyes adjust to the sudden light change. Then you step forward, grab the dusty sheet in both hands and tug.

It slides off easily. You'd expected it to be heavier. But you toss it aside and grasp the polished wood, hooking your fingers over the rim because you know that this _is_ heavy, even if you've never so much as touched it before.

You start to pull, dragging it down through the sands, leaving a narrow trench behind it. You've had this rowing boat for years. As a purple blood, one step down from the sea-dwellers, its pretty much standard protocol.

You've just never been given a reason to actually use it before.

And now that you have, you're not actually sure if you _can_.

You haul it onto the water, not bothering to roll your pants up. The white-crested surf hurls itself against you, soaking your clothes and making your teeth chatter with cold. But the boat is now afloat and you clamber in over the side, picking up the ores and slotting them into the small rotating circle things on the rims on either side.

It takes you a frustratingly long time to get the hang on it, but eventually you have you back to Eridan's hive and your own is becoming steadily smaller in front of you as the boat skims over the waves.

You're glad that you're pretty much soaked to the skin, now, because the blistering sun beats down relentlessly upon your back and the heat would be unbearable if not for the ocean breeze and the salty spray.

You arms ache, muscles screaming in agony, but you keep going. You have to. You twist around every now and then to check that you are still going in the right direction, and now the bright blue sky is shot across with the black and white of Sollux's psionics.

You double your pace.

When the sea becomes a revolting rainbow around you, the stench of blood and death thick in the air, you know that you're close. And that helps you go faster.

A final wave of psychic energy crackles through the air, ringing in your ears and skull but not directed at you. A lowblood would be more effected but all it really does to you is make your vision blue for a second. Then the boat hits rock and sand and you leap out, pausing only to tug it up the shore slightly so that it doesn't drift away.

Sollux doesn't hear or smell or sense you coming. Sollux doesn't hear or smell or sense the one remaining Threchecutioner, either. And despite the fact that your arms ache so much you think they're about to fall off and the sun is _so damn hot_ and your clothes are so stiff with sea salt that they've rubbed your skin raw, you pull your club from your sylladex and bring it down on the bastard's head as hard and you fucking can.

Right between the horns.

And the adult troll who is surprisingly not as tall as you'd expected crumples to your feet like a puppet with its strings cut.

'Honk, motherfuckers,' you say grimly. 'Motherfucking _honk_.'

Sollux's mouth is hanging open. You can see blood on his face, trailing down his cheeks like tears, and behind him Feferi is crying as she leans over a body. Sweet Mirthful Messiahs, _please_ can you not be too late.

'We gotta get back to the mainland before any of their buddies turn up,' you say. Sollux closes his mouth quickly and nods, stumbling back towards Feferi. A scene from the meteor flashes through you mind: Sollux's body on the ground, cooling yellow blood still trickling from his eyes and nose and mouth and ears. Dead. Psychically burnt-out. And he came way too fucking close to it again today.

Rage burns inside you like a sort of purple fire, the exact color of your blood, but you grit your teeth and push it back. The fuckers who caused this are either unconscious, dead or dying. There's nothing more you can do. No more revenge to exact.

So you follow After Sollux instead as his trips and stumbles his way across the rocky sand. He looks exhausted and you can't blame him.

====== Sollux: Figure out what's going on.

You can't. Your head hurts so much that just regular _thinking _is too fucking painful. All you can really do is stand back and watch as Gamzee (where the hell did he _come_ from?) checks Eridan's vitals, picks him up as if he weighed nothing (Gamzee is _so fucking tall_ now) and carries him over to a wooden rowing boat. It's only halfway on the island and looks as if its about to start drifting off to sea with each ripple of a wave that sweeps beneath it. Well, you know who he got here at least... now where the _fuck_ did he get that boat from?

It's so fucking hot and you are so fucking tired and all you can do when you're in the boat is lean against Feferi's shoulder and try not to think or move or do _anything_. Eridan still hasn't regained consciousness and Feferi's still crying and Gamzee's obviously insanely tired as well, but there's nothing you can do until the ringing in your head fucks off and you stop feeling as if you're about to die.

Feferi cradles Eridan as if any sharp movement will break him into a thousand pieces. All three of you are slumped onto the curved wooden floor, since the only bench is available is made to be rowed from. It's damp and cold, in stark contrast to the dry heat of the sun. You're halfheartedly attempting to decide which is worse, more of a way of passing the time than anything else.

Eridan gives a little cough and a splutter and a streak of violet dribbles down from his mouth. His gills were cut and he's choking on his own blood as it leaks into his lungs. Feferi clutches him even tighter as he coughs up more blood but _still_ doesn't open his eyes. You feel the boat speed up slightly, Gamzee swearing quietly to himself... And you are getting angry. Angry at the Condesce, angry as the assassins, angry at _Eridan_ for making Feferi cry and angry at _yourself_ for not arriving sooner. But it's a tired, worn-out sort of anger that does nothing to help your aching head and leaden limbs.

The sun beats down. The boat rocks on the waves.

You quietly slip into a doze...

* * *

**Guys.**

**Hey, guys.**

**...**

**Yeah, you guys.**

**I need some help.  
**

**Because I am at a dilemma. Involving pairings.**

**You see, where I am now in the story (chapter 41 le gasp!), I have just passed a moment which would be _perfect_ to establish a pairing.**

**But it's not any of the ones I listed.  
**

**It's Vriska/Eridan.  
**

**And I'm starting to ship them pretty hard.  
**

**I need your opinions on this. There're a couple of scenes involving which _aren't_ romantic, but could be made so just _so_ easily. I'm tempted, but also torn between doing what _I_ want to _write_, and what _you lot_ want to _read_.  
**

**Please give me your opinions. _Please_.  
**


	22. Nepeta: Troll Feferi

Thank you so much guys! I'm still not sure about the pairing, but it's good to have so much positive feedback about it! I will keep writing and see where it goes, but it looks more as if Vriska/Eridan is gonna happen than anything else. I had a few ideas, but I think I'm gonna play it safe and not use them in this fic.

anon2023 - thank you. Thank you so much! You really boosted my confidence there! =D

Oh, and I've decided not to double Eridan's Ws when he speaks, although I am replacing his Vs with Ws.

Anyways, on with the chapter!

* * *

====== Nepeta: Troll Feferi.

arsenicCatnip [AC] began trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]

AC: :33 good meowning!

AC: :33 i was pawndering over whether you would be interested

AC: :33 in having a big girly get together with the other girls!

AC: :33 you s33 aa has to stay with gc fur a short while

AC: :33 and they came up with the idea!

AC: :33 and they asked me and i said yes

AC: :33 and then they asked me to tell you!

AC: :33 ...

AC: :33 cc?

AC: :33 fefuri are you there?

AC: :33 well when you s33 this message can you tell me?

AC: :33 i hope you can come! :33

arsenicCatnip [AC] ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]

Hmm...

Well, it's a but of a disappointment that she's not answering right now, but there's still time, you guess.

====== Feferi: Stop crying and pull yourself together!

It takes huge effort, and a lot of gulps and hiccups, but you eventually calm down. This is no way for the Heiress to be behaving, to tell yourself. She must be cool and collected in these sorts of situations, and crying isn't going to help anyone!

You should assess the situation. Sollux appears to be asleep against your shoulder. That's fine – he needs a rest – although it does mean that you can't move right now. Gamzee is rowing, head down, eyes closed. You can see sweat dripping off his face, but he still keeps going, rowing steadily towards his hive. And Eridan...

You swallow again, and look down at the unconscious boy in your arms. He's too pale. Too thin. And every so often he coughs up a bit more blood. The internal bleeding doesn't seem to be too bad, but he _still hasn't woken up_ and wet violet is soaking through his scarf. You feel terrible about it. Terrible because it's _your_ fault, in the end. You should have _done_ something, or at least stopped him. He's your friend and you let him get hurt.

Gamzee makes a small, strained sound and you look up again. His face is flushed purple and you can tell that he's struggling. Well, looks like Sollux will have to lean on someone else. There is at least _one_ useful thing you can do.

'Gamzee, you don't have to row,' you say. He looks up, but doesn't stop or say anything. 'I can pull from the water... I'm stronger than I look!' you insist. Gamzee's eyes flicker to Eridan. 'Can you take care of him?' Gamzee hesitates a moment, before pulling the oars into the boat and sliding off the bench.

'Sorry, Sollux,' you murmur to the troll leaning against your shoulder, gently shaking him awake. As soon as he sits up properly, you're over the side and back in the cool water.

====== Eridan: Wake.

Something's changed... the temperature. Yes, something to do with that. The arms around you are warmer than they were before and you're finding it uncomfortable. Feferi's blood and your blood are almost exactly the same, but it was enough to tell the difference... and now it's a different difference...

You slowly manage to open your eyes. Everything hurts and your bones feel like they've been filled with lead. Someone's holding you, but it isn't the person you want it to be.

'You back with us, Eribro?' they ask. You try to draw breath to speak and end up coughing most of it out. There's something hot and wet creeping down your throat every time you breath in. You realize that your gills must be bleeding. The information doesn't bother you nearly as much as it probably should. The sensation's just annoying, really.

'Gamzee,' you manage to rasp, eventually. 'Where's... where's Fef? Is she... o-_kay_...?' Your voice cracks and you weakly cough again. Dammit. It hurts.

'She's fine,' he replies softly, wiping the blood away from your mouth with his sleeve. 'She's pullin' the boat right now.' Gamzee's mouth twists in a wry sort of smile. You can tell he's worried, probably about you. You realize this, but don't really think anything. You don't think you _can_. Right now, you're just tired and hurting. Your concern for Feferi is about the only thing that breaks through the hot, sleepy haze surrounding your mind.

'Mm such... a fuckin'... idiot...' you breath, even as your eyelids slip closed and your consciousness begins to fade again. The gentle rhythm of the boat is soothing...

'Wait. Stop. _Shit_. Stay with us, Eridan. Open your eyes!' Gentle slapping on the un-hurt side of your face, calling you back to the waking world. But you want to sleep...

'Talk to me. Why're you an idiot? What happened?' You half-open your eyes again, slowly, because it takes so much effort. You know you couldn't move even if you tried.

'I coulda pr'went'd i'' you slur. 'I coulda... take'n 'er... away... Or somefin...' You eyelids slide closed again, and you know this time that you won't be reopening them. Not anytime soon, anyway. You feel like you're sinking again, but this time the water is warm and somehow... soft. Maybe it's actually sopor slime. Maybe you're really in your recupracoon, and this has all been just one long, terrible dream...

Distantly you think you can hear someone saying you name, saying it _loudly_, but it's too far away to make out and...

...all you want to do...

...is...

_...sleep_.

====== Sollux: Wake up properly.

You wake up feeling _so much better_. Not 100% perfect by any standards, but you no longer feel as if various parts of your anatomy are about to drop off, _or_ as if you yourself are about to drop dead. So in comparison to your previous state, you feel fucking _amazing_.

You open your eyes. You're not leaning against Feferi anymore and for a few moments you can only look around in addled confusion as the boat speeds along without a) anyone rowing and b) any other obvious source of power.

Then the information sort of clicks, and you remember how fast and strong Feferi claims to be underwater, and you arrive as what seems to be the only logical conclusion... even if it is a bit weird.

You sit up properly and take a deep breath in, trying to smell the opposite horizon. Gamzee's hive seems pretty close, though you don't think you've been asleep for very long. Plus, measuring distance with this sort of 'vision' is pretty tricky. You don't know if even Terezi could get it completely correct.

Now what about Gamzee...

You turn towards to your left. Yeah, you had been leaning against him. The thought is a bit unsettling. Just a bit. The weirdest thing is that you hadn't even noticed the transition. Damn, you must've been out of it.

'We lose one, we gain one,' he says grimly, causing you to jump slightly. He turns to look at you. 'He woke up for a moment,' he says, to explain, nodding at Eridan's unconscious form, 'but I couldn't keep him.' You don't think you've ever heard Gamzee sound so serious. 'I think we might lose 'im, Solbro,' he continues. 'I didn't wanna say it in front of Fefsis, but he's been hurt real bad. He might not wake up again.'

You don't know what to say. You've never exactly been close to Eridan Ampora – heck, you _used_ to hate him as much as was platonically possible – and you, like everyone else except Kanaya, haven't heard a single word from him before he messaged you today. All that shit to do with Feferi hadn't exactly helped matters.

Despite all this, however, you can't honestly say that you want him _dead_.

'What's wrong with him exactly?' you ask, more of a way of filling the silence than anything. 'I mean... other than the obvious fact that he's been cut across the chest.'

'Blood loss mostly, I think,' Gamzee replies, gently touching Eridan's neck to check his pulse. 'Bloodpusher's beating all irregular.' He gave a frustrated sigh. 'Fucking Threche-bastards.'

'The Condesce sent them,' you say quietly.

'Then fuck the Condesce!' You raise an eyebrow, even though you know he isn't looking at you.

'That's treason,' you said flatly. Gamzee gives a dark chuckle.

'My moirail's a candy-blooded mutant and three of my best friends are disabled,' he says. '_You think I give a shit about treason?_ I committed it when I failed to kill you all. I'm committing it _now_. Don't give me that _hoofbeastshit_.' You swallow. You don't like the way his voice sounds. You don't like what he's saying. This isn't sopor-Gamzee – he's stone cold sober and he's starting to verbally murder-quirk.

'_He's ok now,'_ Karkat had said, to all of you, over a video-chat system you'd managed to set up but never bothered to use since. _'His typing doesn't induce epilepsy anymore but that just shows he's not on sopor. It's when he starting __**speaking**__ like that that you gotta be careful.'_

You carefully slide away, just a little. You can't make out all the details but you can tell that Gamzee has grown _a lot_ since you all last saw each other, nearly two sweeps ago. You've grown too, of course – you all have, probably, it happens around this age – but Gamzee was tall to begin with and _now_... You think you've read somewhere that purple bloods are larger than the average troll. Always.

...It's really intimidating.

But after a few minutes of sitting perfectly still, minutes that feel like _hours_, nothing has happened and you can start to relax again.

You still can't _wait_ to get off this boat, though...

* * *

I have no idea how sea dwellers work. I'm going with the idea that they're like lungfish... which would mean that they're a completely different species to land dwellers because _they_ are insect based and it doesn't make any sense. But whatever, blame Hussie. Lungfish have both lungs and gills, and I'm guessing that they're sorta connected by the mouth. Normally there is something keeping the gills cut off from the lungs when above water, but when injured it can relax or not function properly or something, and any liquid in the gills can be drawn into the lungs. Including blood.

I have no idea if that is even possible. I'm just guessing. I'm guessing about a lot of things. But fuck, this is fanfiction.

Thanks for reading!


	23. Tavros: Follow Vriska

Looking at my traffic stats and _whoa_, **2,372 Hits** and **563 Visitors** _in this month alone!_

Anyway...

In which stuff that leads to important plot events, and much hilarity and angst involving quadrants in the chapters I am currently writing, happens. And Terezi chooses to try and take over Karkat's keyboard at completely the wrong moment.

* * *

====== Tavros: Follow Vriska

You do follow, and have been following for quite some time. You have no idea where you are going, _or_ where you are on Alternia, and getting separated and lost is the last thing you want to do right now.

Vriska wheels herself along in front of you, apparently perfectly at ease. She collected her old pack and seems very cheerful about it. She's listening to something on her tunebox, and sometimes she sings along. The lyrics don't exactly help you to be less nervous.

'_In this world there is no_

_Place for people like you_

_I'll exterminate you_

_With my spider bite!'_

Your own pack was heavy enough to begin with, and she's dumped most of her stuff onto you. 'It'll help put some muscle on those weedy arms!' she'd said. You politely refrained from saying how, yes, that would be true... but only if your arms don't fall off before that happened. Besides, your arms aren't even all that weedy. You've been pushing yourself around in a four wheeled device for sweeps!

'_In my world there is no_

_Place for weaklings like you_

_I'll exterminate you_

_With my spider bite!'_

She's got her husktop open on her lap, alternating between pushing herself along and looking at something on the screen. You assume its a map of some sort. Or at least, you hope it is. Otherwise you don't know _how_ she knows where she's going.

'_In this world there is no  
Place for people like_—hurry up a bit, Tavvy!' she calls suddenly, breaking off from her song. 'I'll leave you behind if you don't hurry up!' You quicken your pace, running after her. At least your legs won't get tired... although they're pretty heavy...

She waits for you, and you're able to get a glimpse of her husktop screen. It does, indeed, seem to be displaying a map... but also a Trollian memo log, connecting to trolls whose handles you don't recognize... Certainly no one from your group.

Then Vriska leans to the left slightly and completely obscures your view of the screen.

You take this as a hint and don't try to look again.

'This is where we have to go off the trail,' she says. The narrow dirt path you've been following twists to the right up ahead, and Vriska is facing more to the left. She seems to be studying the map intently. 'This is also where it gets a little harder for me.' Abruptly she snaps her husktop closed and, without another word or any warning, pushes herself off the path and straight into the maze of green.

You stumble after her, not wanting to get left behind but also wanting to be close enough to steady the four wheeled device when it inevitably gets a twig jammed in one of the wheels.

'_I'll exterminate you  
With my spider bite!'_

====== Karkat: Despair

_This is sooo nooot faaaaaair!_

Terezi has spent practically the whole of the last _twelve fucking hours_ picking at your thinkpan, and you have only just managed to get away. Thankfully, she also seems to've been pretty worn out by her antics and you've bother retired to you 'coons. But you know you're gonna have to face it again _tomorrow_ and sweet troll Jegus you just cannot take this...

...Someone is trolling you. Thank _God_. You could do with a distraction...

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] began trolling carcinoGenecist [CG]

GA: Forgive Me Karkat

GA: But As You Are The One Usually Referred To As Being The Leader Of The Group I Thought It Best That I Contact You

You sort of wish she hadn't contacted you now. You don't like where this could be going. Generally, you being called 'leader' again is a sure sign of shit hitting the whirling device. It is honestly the only time when people turn to you for help or advice, other than the occasional question involving relationships.

Which you are pretty sure that this isn't about.

You very cautiously type your reply.

CG: WHAT IS IT KANAYA?

GA: Eridan Is Not Answering Any Of My Messages

...Uh, ok... Not sure why she's contacting _you_ about this...

CG: SO?

CG: ISN'T IT NORMAL FOR THE DOUCHEBAG TO BLANK YOU FOR DAYS ON END?

GA: On The Contrary

GA: We Usually Make A Point Of Communicating At Least Once A Day

GA: That And The Last Message I Received Concerned Me Greatly

CG: WELL WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO ABOUT IT?

CG: IF HE ISN'T ANSWERING YOU, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK HE'LL GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT WHAT *I* SAY?

GA: It Is Not Merely Eridan Whom I Am Concerned About

GA: Feferi Is Not Answering Any Messages Either

GA: Both I And Nepeta Have Tried

GA: So I Was Wondering

GA: When Was The Last Time You Contacted Gamzee?

Here you pause, wondering what on Alternia _Gamzee_ has to do with any of this. You're definitely worried about where this is going now.

CG: THIS EVENING.

GA: Did You Receive Any Reply?

CG: WELL YEAH.

CG: HE ALWAYS ANSWERS.

GA: Please Try Again Now

CG: WHY?

CG: YOU'RE CREEPING ME OUT HERE KANAYA

GA: Please Just Try And Report Your Findings Back To Me

Great. Now she's gone and gotten you all paranoid. But you suppose it can't hurt to do what she says. Fuck, it might hurt more if you don't, actually...

carcinoGenecist [CG] began trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

CG: HEY, GAMZEE, YOU THERE?

CG: KANAYA'S GETTING ALL WORRIED ABOUT SOME SHIT TO DO WITH ERIDAN AND FEFERI AND WANTED ME TO CONTACT YOU.

CG: FOR SOME REASON.

CG: BUT YOU'RE OK, RIGHT?

CG: YOU'RE OK AND I CAN GO TELL KANAYA TO SCUTTLE OFF BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS FINE, OBVIOUSLY.

CG: ...

CG: SWEET JEGUS GAMZEE PLEASE ANSWER

CG: ...

CG: PLEASE THIS FUCKING SILENCE IS FREAKING ME OUT

CG: GAMZEE?

CG: OH GOD YOU HAD BETTER BE OK

CG: YOU HAD BETTER JUST HAVE FORGOTTEN TO TAKE YOUR HUSKTOP WITH YOU

CG: EVEN THOUGH I ALWAYS TELL YOU TO CARRY IT EVERYWHERE

CG: AND YOU ALWAYS SAY YOU WILL

CG: PLEASE!

TC: whoa you gotta calm down there palebro!

CG: GAMZEE!

CG: THANK *FUCK*!

CG: NOW WHY'D YOU TAKE SO LONG TO REPLY? SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!

TC: sorry bro just took a while to catch my husktop from its cycle

CG: OH YEAH YOUR DUMB FETCH MODUS

CG: SERIOUSLY I DON'T GET THAT WHY DO YOU EVEN USE IT?

CG: ACTUALLY WAIT DON'T ANSWER THAT.

CG: I'M JUST GONNA GO REPORT BACK TO KANAYA FOR A SEC HOLD ON.

TC: sure thing bro :o)

Feeling very relieved, you open up Kanaya's chat window again. See? Nothing to worry about!

CG: HE ANSWERED AND EVERYTHING'S FINE

CG: NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT

GA: Did He Mentioned Anything About Eridan Or Feferi At All?

CG: ...

CG: NO, WHY THE FUCK WOULD HE?

CG: LOOK THIS SHIT'S JUST DUMB I'M GONNA LOG OFF NOW

GA: No

GA: Please Wait

GA: Please At Least Ask Him About Eridan

CG: WHAT'S GOING ON BETWEEN YOU TWO ARE YOU PALE OR SOMETHING?

GA: You Could Say That

GA: Although Eridan Refuses To Accept Me Despite The Fact That Anyone Could See He Needs A Moirail

CG: WHATEVER

CG: OK I'LL GO ASK

CG: BUT ONLY BECAUSE I'D ASK YOU IF THIS SHIT WAS ABOUT GAMZEE

GA: Thank You Very Much

GA: I Appreciate It

You bring up Gamzee's chat again, now more annoyed than anything.

CG: JUST ONE MORE THING AND THEN I'LL STOP BUGGING YOU

CG: KANAYA WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ERIDAN ASSHOLE

CG: SHE'S PALE FOR HIM OR SOME SHIT.

You wait a moment, but don't get a response.

CG: UH, GAMZEE?

CG: GONNA FEEL LIKE ANSWERING ANY TIME SOON?

TC: sorry bro i was talking about shit with solbro

TC: SOME PRETTY BITCHY SHIT'S BEEN GOING DOWN HERE PALEBRO

CG: UH

CG: WHY'S SOLLUX THERE?

CG: FOR THAT MATTER WHERE ARE YOU?

His response fills you with a sort of icy dread.

TC: threchecutioners

TC: THEM THRECHEBITCHES BEEN MESSING WITH FEFSIS

TC: MOTHERFUCKING IMPERIAL FORCES

TC: poor eribro got kinda caught in the crossfire i think :o(

CG: I

CG: SHIT

CG: IS HE OK?

CG: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE?

CG: AND WHAT ABOUT FEFERI?

TC: fefsis is fine

TC: sollux is all tired out but he's ok

TC: BUT MOTHERFUCKING ERIDAN

TC: fuck

TC: he got hurt pretty bad :o(

CG: SHIT I

CG: FUCK

CG: FUCK FUCK FUCK

CG: KAN WAS RIGHT SOMETHING'S WRONG

CG: LEMME JUST TELL HER OK?

TC: sure thing bro

You are the worst leader in paradox space, past, present and future. How could you be thinking about your _own_ measly problems when your friends are off getting hurt? Fuck. _Fuck_.

CG: OH SHIT KANAYA YOU WERE RIGHT

GA: What Is It?

GA: Tell Me What's Happened

CG: SOME SHIT WITH THRECHECUTIONERS

CG: IMPERIAL FORCES OR WHATEVER

CG: I THINK FEFERI JUST EXPERIENCED HER FIRST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

GA: What About Eridan

GA: Tell Me

You swallow. You are _not_ looking forward to tell her this. You remember the outcome of her anger all too well and have no desire to find yourself on the bladed, sharp, rotating end of a chainsaw.

CG: I

CG: FUCK

CG: ACCORDING TO GAMZEE

CG: HE GOT HURT

GA: What Do You Mean By 'Hurt'?

GA: How Serious Is The Injury?

CG: LOOK I DUNNO

CG: GAMZEE SEEMED PRETTY WORRIED

There is a tense pause, in which all you can do is chew on your nails and wait for her reply.

GA: I Think I Will Open A Memo

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] began trolling carcinoGenecist [CG]

Ok... what?

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] invited carcinoGenecist [CG] to the memo "The Current Situation Regarding Eridan A, Feferi P And Gamzee M".

Huh. Alright then.

GA: Are We All Here?

CG: ER...

TC: yeah

TC: though you forgot solbro

GA: I Apologize

GA: Karkat Had Not Mentioned Him As Being Relevant

twinArmageddons [TA] responded to memo.

TA: whatever

TA: what is this even ab0ut?

GA: Now Would Somebody Kindly Explain To Me What Is Going On?

GA: That Was The Main Purpose Of Setting Up This Memo

TA: the c0ndesce sent f0rces to assassinate feferi

GA: I Had Gathered That

GA: Where Is Feferi?

TC: shes pulling the boat

TC: SHES MOTHERFUCKING FAST

GC: SHIT HOW FAR AWAY ARE YOU FROM THE SHORE?

TA: pretty cl0se well be there s00n

CG: I HAVE TO GET DOWN THERE.

CG: THIS IS FUCKING SERIOUS THIS OWN'T BE THE ONLY FUCKING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT.

CG: FUCK I FEEL AWFUL

CG: I SHOULD'VE SEEN THIS COMING

TA: st0p beating y0urself up kk

TA: we all sh0uldve seen it c0ming

TA: because it always was

CG: I'M COMING DOWN THERE

CG: GIVES ME AN EXCUSE TO LEAVE TEREZI'S PLACE ANYWAY...

CG: I SWEAR IF I HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH ANOTHER OF HER MIND GAMES MY HEAD WILL IMPLODE.

CG: OR MAYBE EXPLODE.

GC: WH4T'S GO1NG ON H3R3?

CG: HOLY FUCKING JEGUS

GC: 4W, DON'T L34V3 4LR34DY K4RKL3S!

CG: THIS IS SERIOUS TEREZI!

CG: I AM NOW IN LEADER MODE. NO MATTER HOW SHITTY I AM AT IT *SOMEONE* HAS TO TRY AND HEARD THIS BUNCH OF RABID MEOWBEASTS.

CG: IT'S BEEN TOO LONG SINCE WE MET UP. SINCE MORE SHIT IS HITTING MORE WHIRLING DEVICES THAN IT EVER HAS BEFORE, I SUGGEST THAT WE ALL MEET UP SOME PLACE.

CG: IN FACT I ORDER IT.

CG: AS YOUR LEADER.

GA: Sounds Like A Fairly Reasonable Idea

GA: Although It Will Take A While For Me To Reach You I Expect

GA: Considering That I Am On Practically The Opposite side Of The Planet To You

GC: C4N SOM3BODY PL34S3 3XPL41N TO M3 WH4T 1S GO1NG ON?

TA: well where are we meeting up?

TC: my pad has enough room for everyone :o)

TC: besides we probably shouldnt move eribro around too much

GC: W41T WH4T TH3 FUCK?

carcinoGenecist [CG] banned gallowsCalibrator [GC] from responding to memo

CG: I'LL EXPLAIN IT TO HER LATER

CG: ONCE WE'VE GOT SOME MORE SHIT SORTED OUT

CG: SO I GUESS WE'LL ALL BE MEETING UP AT GAMZEE'S

CG: OH SHIT TEREZI'S JUST COMSHSOLAJKDJHLA

CG: SWAWDEAJKLADMKA

CG: TERJSOA;ZI!$"£$"!

TA: uh

CG: DJKAL TERHSKZIW IHLLH YOU SJNDUTOP OSHTIT?k?jf%

CG: FUUSKSOS,LSWLA,AJQDCK

GA: Oh Dear

CG: SOMEJHDJNKSEONEB MAUYESNSJKE HJSALERJHSK SHJKK,GTO PHJH!$ujk^gg

GA: Well I Think I Am Going To Pass This Information On While You Two...

CG: AJAS;JKKLASHDKLASIO\A

GA: Sort Yourselves Out

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] signed out of memo

CG: GOODBY3!JDJWKLALSD883J2

* * *

You can, hopefully, work out what Karkat is trying to say. There are words in there somewhere.

I am also assuming that Kanaya is in a completely different timezone to Feferi because in canon, when they spoke is was daytime for Kanaya and nighttime for Feferi.

Vriska's song lyrics are from 'Spider 8ite', Mindfang's fansong. It's a pretty sweet tune.


	24. Vriska: Lead way into ancient tomb

Extra long chapter today! Aren't you guys lucky? XD Didn't really plan this, actually, it just sort of happened.

This editor doesn't like double '!'s or '?'s for some reason. Or even '?' followed immediately by '!' :/ Punctuation is a huge part of writing... maybe I'll email the staff or something 'cause it's kinda annoying...

* * *

====== Vriska: Lead way into ancient tomb.

It's not _technically_ a tomb, so much, but whatever. You lead the way in, being incredibly careful on the uneven flagstones. Luckily, after telling them of your situation, the rest of the group managed to direct you to a temple hopefully more suited to four wheeled device use.

By that they meant that it isn't situated half way up a mountain on the other side of the planet.

Like they usually are.

There are no stairs, which is good, and after a few yards in a dank tunnel carved into the rock, you and Tavros emerge into a large and elegant, if overgrown and very neglected, courtyard, carved into the yellowish stone. It's very stylish and stately, in your opinion – under the vines and leaves, the stone is engraved with complicated patterns and there are regular half-pillars carved around the outside. There's even a dried up fountain in the middle.

You look back to check on your companion. Tavros is looking around in undisguised awe, allowing his bag to trail in the ground.

But what you're looking for won't be up here, bathed by the cold late night moonlight. Everything is underground, hidden from plain view... It is so incredibly lucky that you have so much experience with pointless puzzles and ridiculous quests!

Now, how to get inside...

You examine the fountain. There is a circular groove all around it which doesn't seem to be part of the architecture. After some careful examination and precarious leaning which isn't too kind to the gash on your side, you have concluded that yes, this is probably the way in. For one thing, there's no water mark on the inside, suggesting that the fountain was never really a fountain in the first place. For another, the sym69l is minutely engraved around the rim at regular intervals.

'Come over here, Tavros,' you say, voice sounding clearly enough through the quiet courtyard. Tavros quickly scampers over, metal legs tapping loudly against the stone.

'It's probably something to do with the fountain,' you say. 'Help me poke around it a bit and see if anything happens.' He makes a sound of agreement, before hovering around the outside for a few seconds and then stepping into the fountain, running his hands around the inside rim. You yourself wheel all around the outside, poking at any loose-looking flagstones in an attempt to find some sort of lever.

Suddenly you hear a faint grinding sound and look up. You don't see anything. Tavros is looking around in confusion as well as the grinding gets steadily louder.

You open your mouth to tell him to get ready to run, because images of tumbling boulders and collapsing floors are flashing across your mind's eye scarily realistically... when the whole fountain starts to move.

Tavros gives a little squeak and clutches to a shaft of stone in a middle which looks like it may once have been a statue. The fountain vibrates and then slowly starts sinking into the ground. Tavros gives another frightened squeak and leaps off. The rumbling, and sinking, abruptly stop.

'Get back in!' you order, wheeling your way round to face the fountain. Tavros gives you a look as if to say _are you mad?_ and you sigh. 'I'll join you when it's low enough for me to wheel myself in,' you explain. 'Honest! I'm not going to send you off into a dark pit on your _own!_ I'm not _that_ bad!' Tavros gives you a nervous look before gingerly stepping back in. With another rumble, and another squeak from your friend, the fountain starts to descend again.

You can't say you're looking forward to it becoming level with the ground. It means pitching yourself forward over a sharp drop, even if it is only two feet. You at least hope that Tavros has enough sense and coordination to catch you...

...And amazingly, he does.

While the four wheeled device tips almost vertically, you are kept reasonably the right way up by the pair of strong if awkward arms around your torso. Similar images from you perspective, involving the white of a fairy dress and a lot of leaf green, pop up from the recesses of your memories... and are swiftly shoved away as the two of you descend, into the darkness and the unknown.

This is a _moment_. You have no desire for it to be ruined.

====== Karkat: Freak the fuck out.

Sweet troll Jegus this is it all of the shit is going to happen now right _now_ with assassination attempts your blood colour friends dying your blood colour imperial drones your blood colour filling quadrants _your blood colour..._

Things had been going so well and, like the complete idiot you are, you'd fooled yourself into thinking that they'd stay that way. Fuck. _Fuck_. You are the worst leader ever to have existed, and ever will exist, in every universe _ever_. No leader in the universe – or _any_ universe – could ever possibly be shittier at it than you... _So why the fuck are you one still?_

You plan to abdicate as soon as you can. Then someone _else_ can take over the burden who might actually be good at it. Like Kanaya. She seems to be a pretty leaderly person. Or Feferi, who _is_ the Heiress Apparent... It'll be good practice for her! She'll be glad at the chance! Please!

You are interrupted from your internal freak-out by a hand on your shoulder. You jump about a foot in the air. Gog, you're tense.

'_Shoosh_,' says Terezi, patting you. 'Your anxiety is so thick I can barely smell anything else. I've already nearly walked into a tree – _twice_.' She's gotten more serious, thank Jegus, since you managed to hammer the seriousness of the situation into her thinkpan. But in your opinion she's still taking everything too lightly! She obviously doesn't feel the stress like you do... well, _she's_ not the established leader!

Your shoulders ache from your constant tension and your pack isn't getting any lighter. That and you're tired as fuck. Everything bad that could ever possibly happen is happening _now_ and _you're_ the one who has to deal with it all.

It's hard being the leader of twelve dysfunctional_Oh_ _screw this shit!_ You're way too tired for those dumb clichés. What is even up with them anyway?

You can't wait to get to Gamzee's. All you want to do is flop down on the floor and _sleep_.

====== Tavros: Pilfer ancient temple.

Well, it isn't exactly pilfering, you guess, because you haven't exactly taken anything physical, but Vriska sort of shoved a snapbox into your hands and told you to take pictures of anything you thought was interesting or important, so you guess that you're sort of... pilfering information?

It's been surprisingly easy so far and you're a little anxious. You keep expecting for traps to spring or the exit to close. But the fountain stays exactly where it is and nothing's happened _yet_, and anyway Vriska seems perfectly at ease. So you guess it's ok. But it's also cold and dark and creepy so the trap factor is only part of the issue. Everything is stone and the only light comes from the hole in the ceiling, Vriska's small flashlight, Vriska's husktop's screen, and the two lanterns, one in your hand and the other hanging off the back of the four wheeled device. The swinging motion makes the light flicker and doesn't do anything to lower the Scary Factor.

You just wish you knew what you were looking for! Vriska had said that it would be obvious as soon as you saw it, but you don't think it can be that easy. You keep meaning to ask her more about it, but she's very intently examining the left-hand wall and you're nervous about disturbing her. You think there must be some carvings on something on there because she's taken a lot of pictures and keeps on looking back and forth between the wall and her husktop.

'We,' she suddenly declares, voice echoing around the room and causing you to almost drop the snapbox, 'are in the Handmaid's Tomb.' You hurry over, finally able to get a good look at what's carved into the walls.

They're letters, old, fancy and chipped in a few places, but definitely letters, and letters you _recognize_. Yet the words don't make any sense at all.

Vriska shines the beam of the flashlight over a certain spot in the wall and says, clearly, 'in honor of her final request, we built the Tomb of the Handmaid.' You squint at the words, but you can't make head or tail of them.

'You can _read_ this?' you ask, awed. Vriska does that eye roll thing that makes her whole head move and you feel yourself blush slightly in embarrassment. Nope, you were wrong.

'I'm using a translator, silly,' she said, gesturing to the husktop screen. The angle makes the screen look funny but you can sort of make out two boxes, one with modern Alternian in and the other with the odd arrangement of letters. Vriska clicks the flashlight off and begins to wheel herself away, towards the back of the chamber. You follow close behind, suddenly even more nervous than you were before.

'T-tomb?' you stammer, looking quickly around for any sign of a coffin or gravestone or – ohpleaseno – a _skeleton_.

'Mm,' Vriska replies, nodding her head. She remains perfectly at ease as she gives a large slab in the wall an experimental push. With a grind of ancient stone the slab swings open like a door, revealing only darkness beyond. 'Although I doubt it's _really_ a tomb,' she continues, holding her lantern aloft and pushing herself forward without even a trace of hesitation. 'I don't see _how_ they could've gotten her body because—ah ha!' She stops, and you nearly run into her. You look up.

And nearly scream.

Towering above you, from floor to ceiling, is a fully grown adult troll.

For a few seconds you freeze, staring at its blank, emotionless face and fully expecting it to move at any moment, to bring down its weapons and _cull you_ where you stand... before your bloodpusher calms down a bit and you realize that it's fine, that it's only a statue, and that it isn't going to hurt you.

'You ok, Pupa?' Vriska politely enquirers, having twisted herself around to look at you. You close your mouth and give a jerky nod, never taking your eyes away from the statue. It looks _so real_... You don't know much about architecture but you know that _sweeps_ of labor from truly expert trolls must have gone into this... You hold the lantern a little higher, trying to get a better look at its face.

You do a sort of double take and almost drop the lantern.

'It's Aradia!' you blurt out, staring up at the statue's face. You don't need the distinctive horns or hairline to know – you recognize the face as you would recognize the girl. The eyes, the lips... even the jaw line, everything is _exactly_ the same.

'It's not,' Vriska says flatly, significantly ruining the moment. 'But it is her ancestor.' She begins to wheel herself all around the statue, lantern's own light helping to reveal yet more of the figure. The statue's arms are raised, holding two smooth sticks that appear to be wands. But the eyes are blank and empty, no pupils, and there isn't a single spot of color anywhere on the whole figure. You guess it _could_ have been painted, and just faded or flaked off over time, but it looks more as if it's been left deliberately blank.

'Who was she?' you ask quietly, although what you really mean is, '_what did she do?'_ What action or crime did she perform to merit a temple being built in her memory? Who of her blood color would ever be honored like _this?_

'She was known as a demoness,' Vriska replies, staring intently at her husktop screen, 'although she wasn't really. As far as I know, she was forced for thousands of years to serve Lord English.'

This time, you _do_ drop the lantern.

'Keep your metal pants on,' Vriska says, not looking away from the screen. 'English is pretty definitely gone. But that doesn't mean he never existed. I'm still not sure how that works.' She looks at you at last, and you sort of wish she hadn't because the light makes her face look eerie, peering out at you from the darkness like a white moon, the shadows around her eyes and nose horribly exaggerated.

'There's still a lot no one understands,' she says. 'It doesn't help that I'm the only one involved who remembers the world ending _at all_. The others just sort of theorize that something along those lines must've happened.'

'"The others"?' you repeat, confused. She's told you so little, saying that you'd just work it out or she's tell you more whenever the questions came up. In response to this one, she gives a casual wave of her hand and says,

'There's a small group of us, going around, pilfering temples and waiting for Karkat to get his head outta his ass and realize his heritage. They existed before the game but we just didn't know about them. And after I did some digging I found them.' She makes it sound simple enough, but all she's really done is created more questions.

Vriska turns back to her husktop and you decide not to disturb her again, focusing instead on the statue once more. This time, however, its Vriska who chooses to break the silence.

'She was forced to work for him,' she said. 'And she hated it. Fuck, who wouldn't? I'm not saying she was entirely opposed to what she was doing, though – some records suggest she was having a great time, although they tend to be from later on in her life. But she always hated her master.' Vriska hasn't looked up, but you seem to be the one she's talking to. You look at her, waiting for her to continue, not really sure what to do with yourself.

'She knew everything about the old world,' Vriska continues, fingers clicking over the husktop keyboard. 'Old fart must've hammered it into her pretty hard. From what we've found, she spread the word as a sort of revenge. A way of undoing what he'd done through her. Sort of poetic, really.' She wheels herself to the back of the room, examining yet more ancient carvings. It occurs to you that you should probably pick up the lantern, which you do.

'If she hadn't, the cult probably would've died out completely by now,' she mutters, seemingly more to herself than to you as she runs her fingers over the icy stone, feeling the letters beneath the moss and lichen and half-darkness.

And for a moment, the shadows on her face, caste by the the light of the screen, fan out to mimic the darkness beneath her eyes and, in that moment, all she looks is lost and lonely and _incredibly_ tired.

* * *

Vriska was manipulated her whole life to do things that made her, in short, a really horrible person. First her lusus, making her kill other trolls just so that _she _could survive, and then Doc Scratch. In the end, it became a part of her personality. No one told her to kill Tavros, but she did, because it was what she'd been raised to do. I feel that she'd be able to relate to the Handmaid because of this.

I'm sort of basing the old Alternian off Latin - same letters as modern English, but different arrangements to make different words.

Anonymous - (it might be a while until you see this but you should) action has never been my thing, lol. But I'm glad you though it was ok! Impersonating writing styles, however, does seem to be something I'm quite good at, though I say it myself. Makes doing fanfiction great! XD Glad you've enjoyed it so far~!


	25. Nepeta: Try trolling Feferi again

(Came back and made a few last-minute edits to this chapter... sorry if you get a double alert lol)

I may have gone a _little_ too far with Nepeta's puns. I'm never quite sure how to write her, actually. Ironic, 'cause she's my patron troll and I actually relate to her the least... and have trouble writing her. Oh well.

* * *

====== Nepeta: Try trolling Feferi again.

arsenicCatnip [AC] began trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]

AC: :33 *ac is wondering if cc will be able to reply this time*

AC: :33 *she is also wondering if cc got her last message*

AC: :33 *and whether she must purrpeat herself*

CC: )(ello Nepeta

AC: :33 *ac is pawsitively ecstatic about her furend replying!*

CC: Sorry Nepeta but now isn't a very good time 38(

AC: :33 *ac wonpurrs what has happurrned*

AC: :33 *to make her furend sound so sad!*

CC: Bad t) (ings ) (ave ) (appened

CC: -Eridan got ) (urt and it's all my fault.

AC: :33 oh no!

CC: Sorry Nepeta but I'm not in the mood or situation for RPing rig)(t now. 38(

AC: :33 that is purrfectly ok

AC: :33 but what happened?

CC: The Condesce tried to assassinate me.

AC: :OO oh no!

AC: :33 are you ok?

CC: I am fine.

CC: But –Eridan was ) (urt really badly.

AC: :33 it must be bad if you are not using the puns! :OO

AC: :33 will he be ok?

CC: I don't know

CC: Gamzee and Sollux are trying to ) (elp ) (im.

CC: T) (ey say ) (e s) (ould be ok but I can tell t) (at t) (ey're very worried 38(

CC: I feel as if I've been suc) ( a bad friend to ) (im.

CC: Maybe t) (is wouldn't ) (ave ) (appened if I'd been a better one.

AC: :33 don't say things like that!

AC: :33 he did bad things to you and to ofurrs and you still furrgave him!

AC: :33 i think that makes you a very good furend!

CC: ) (e wouldn't even talk to me

CC: But ) (e still risked ) (is life!

CC: I don't t)(ink )(e ever stopped loving me, Nepeta.

AC: :33 it'll be ok Furferi!

AC: :33 i'm surre it will!

CC: Did you just attempt to make a cat pun from the word 'sure'?

AC: :33 tee hee! yep!

CC: Well I feel a bit better now.

CC: T)(ank you 38)

AC: :33 you're welcome!

CC: Oh and by the wave

CC: Karkatfish has, a)(em, 'ordered' everyone to gat)(er at Gamzee's )(ive

CC: )(a)( you )(eard?

AC: :33 nooo, i had not!

AC: :33 thank you for telling me!

AC: :33 maybe we can have our big girly get togefur afurter all!

AC: :33 i'll go tell equius!

arsenicCatnip [AC] ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]

CC: Big girly get together?

====== Feferi: Check on Eridan.

'Furrendly' chat with Nepeta over, you stop putting off the unavoidable and exit the kitchen, going back into the living room. Your spirits, raised slightly by your talk, instantly plummet straight to the seabed at the sight which greets you.

Eridan's still form lies on the dark purple couch, cleaned of every spot of blood and every grain of sand. A thick grey blanket lies across him, obscuring most of his body from view, and the dark colors seem to swallow him up, making him look even smaller than he had seemed on the boat. The little amount of skin visible is far too pale, sickly-looking, and you can tell even from your vantage point – the other side of the room – that he is struggling to breath.

Silently you cross the block, kneel beside the couch and feel for his hand beneath the blanket. He's too cold, even for a sea dweller, and the bones on his hand stick out in a way that can't be natural. He's too thin. You had barely registered it when you'd first pulled him from the water, but part of you had realized that his ribs were too prominent, his cheeks too hollow. You know he's been neglecting himself but he still fought for you and maybe if you'd been a proper friend then this _never would have happened_.

You choke back a sob, willing yourself not to start crying again. Gamzee, who is hunched on the floor beside you, arms and legs too long for a truly comfortable position, places a comforting hand on you back. He says nothing, however – there is nothing _to_ say.

'We did what we could.' Empty, meaningless words. Sollux leans against the wall nearest the couch, arms crossed, shoulders too tense for him to really be at ease. You don't look at him. Don't look at _anyone_. Just glare at the floor and try to control the grief and despair which threatens to swallow you whole.

While a small part of you constantly repeats in a foolish mantra that he's not dead, that there's still hope, that he's a sea-dweller and that makes him tough, the rest of you simply feels hopeless. He already looks like a corpse.

====== Sollux: Leave

The corpse-party atmosphere is seriously getting to you. You want to punch something, or shout, doing _anything_ to release the pent-up rage and confusion and fear within you. But doing so would only make things worse... so you simply have to leave.

You go into the nutritionblock. Gamzee'd leant his husktop to Feferi while you and he had attempted to sort out the double gash of crooked lightning that marred Eridan's chest. You consider using it, but you still have your headset and you doubt that Gamzee would appreciate you licking the screen anyway. You're still as wary as fuck around him.

You sit down at the table and scan through your contacts, but there's no one online who you'd care to talk to. For a while all you can do is sit, tapping your fingers on the wooden tabletop and try to ignore the grief-leaden atmosphere that is slowly oozing from the recreationblock and through the hive like puss from an infected wound. You don't know how Gamzee can stand it. Or maybe he can't and he's just pretending for Feferi's sake.

...As soon as Ampora gets better, you are giving him a _hard_ punch in the gut. _No one_ has the right to make Feferi this upset, particularly not a guy who hasn't even said one word to her for almost two sweeps. Particularly not someone _who killed her once_. Feferi is way too fucking forgiving. Sometimes you wonder if she's even a troll at all...

Eridan Ampora had _better_ fucking survive. You and he have some serious shit to go through.

* * *

Anon2023 - that's what I love about this fic - it comes so fast! I update at the same rate as I write them, usually.

Don't think there are any messages I need to give... meh. Hoped you enjoyed the chapter!


	26. Nepeta: Relay Karkitty's orders

I really need to write the chapters faster.

I actually procrastinate on this story sometimes.

Help.

* * *

====== Nepeta: Relay Karkitty's orders to meowrail.

arsenicCatnip [AC] began trolling centaursTesticle [CT]

AC: :33 equius!

AC: :33 equius please answer!

AC: :33 it's impurrrtant equius!

CT: D - What is it Nepeta

CT: D - I apologize but i am currently engaged in other activities

AC: :33 karkitty has given us an order as leader!

CT: D - Really

CT: D - That is

CT: D - Interesting

AC: :33 yes!

AC: :33 we are all to m33t up at gamzee's hive!

CT: D - The highb100d?

AC: :33 yes!

AC: :33 karkitty says it's really impawtant!

AC: :33 ...

AC: :33 c'mon equius it'll be ok!

CT: D - I am afraid that going w001d be f001ish

AC: :33 stop making excuses to use '100'! :II

CT: D - Nepeta i am concerned for your safety

AC: :33 karkitty says it's safe and i trust karkitty!

AC: :33 besides efurryone is going!

AC: :33 karkitty will be there to keep gamzee in line

CT: D - I am still unsure

AC: :33 well

AC: ;33 miss megido will be there too...

CT: D - I see

AC: :33 does this chaaaange matters at all mr zahhak?

CT: D - I

CT: D - Yes indeed it does

CT: D - I

CT: D - I believe I may require a towel

AC: :33 so are we going?

CT: D - Yes

AC: :DD yaaaaaaay!

arsenicCatnip [AC] ceased trolling centaursTesticle [CT]

CT: D - But I e%pect you to be on your best behavior

CT: D - Nepeta?

CT: D - Darn it

====== Equius: Be Sollux.

You are now Sollux. Been a while since we've had that sort of command, huh?

You're slumped on the floor next to the couch, really fucking tired but both unable and unwilling to sleep. The three of you – so you, Gamzee and Feferi – have set up a sort of unofficial rotor system for 'watching' Eridan. So you're here beside him while the other two at least attempt to get some rest. Gamzee disappeared upstairs a couple of hours ago, probably to his respiteblock and recupracoon, but you can hear Feferi moving restlessly around the nutritionblock (the door is thick but your ears are keen), unable to sleep or even sit down.

Your anger at Eridan Ampora has not lessened in the slightest. It may even have increased. How he can be so irritating while not even conscious is beyond you, and you know he isn't like this _on purpose_, but...

But _fuck it!_ Feferi's upset and you're stuck in the hive of a murderer and you feel as if you haven't slept for _days_ and really, well... you need someone to blame, you guess. Your inner voice of reason isn't being very helpful today, although that's mostly because it's being drowned out by your inner voice of unreason, which is telling you very plainly just how much you (platonically, it is _definitely_ platonically) hate Eridan Ampora's stupid fishy guts with all of your mutated being.

Thinking of the demon... A quiet groan interrupts you reverie, and you look towards the couch. Well, angle your head so that your eye sockets are pointing at it. It's an automatic response, if practically pointless.

'Where... am I?' the sea-troll breaths, shifting slightly and wincing.

'Gamzee's hive,' you reply, keeping your voice carefully devoid of emotion. You are answered by another groan, and more shifting. You realize he's probably trying to sit up and quickly get onto your knees, facing him and automatically putting a restraining hand on his shoulder.

'_Fuckin' hell_,' he hisses, face screwed up in pain. You don't think he's opened his eyes yet. 'What the fuck ewen happened?' He stops moving and gingerly puts one hand to his chest, wincing as he prods it lightly and swearing again. It is only after you have forcefully jerked his hand away that he even bothers to look at you.

You are not, however, expecting his response.

'_Holy shit_, Sol, what _happened_ to your fuckin' _eyes?_' For a moment you can only sit there, mouth slightly open, looking like a complete idiot.

'You've forgotten,' you say eventually. Not as a question, but more of a way of trying to make it sound _real_. 'You have _actually_... _forgotten_.' Your voice sounds almost foreign to your own eyes, incredulous and a bit miffed. Eridan Ampora has actually gone and forgotten about the worst thing he has ever done to you.

Then suddenly you're applying more pressure than you really intended to on his chest, leaning right over him, trying as you try to pick up as much about him as you can with the senses you have left. He's confused, yes, you can tell that from his voice, and his eyes have widened considerably and he is definitely intimidated by you.

_Good!_

'What's the last thing you remember?' you demand, keeping your voice low so that it hopefully won't attract Feferi's attention. You want to make the most of this.

Ampora squirms back into the couch cushions, and you can tell he's thoroughly freaked-out. You don't need to smell his emotions – which you can't do anyway – because his body language reads like a fucking book.

'Angels!' he gasps, and somewhere in you realizes that this can't be very kind on his injuries. Well, screw that. 'Motherfuckin' _angels_, Sol, ewerywhere!' You pause, considering this. You do not, however, lessen the pressure in the slightest, even when he attempts to squirm backwards again and gives a pathetic little whine of pain and fear.

'C-can you maybe let up a bit?' he gasps, 'I can't fuckin' breath!' There is something _so good_ about how scared he sounds, and especially about how _you're_ the one causing it. So, so good. So you definitely do _not_ 'let up a bit'.

'That was sweeps ago,' you say, voice strangely calm compared to your body and mind. His disbelief is almost tangible. As is the anger that follows.

'Don't _fuck_ with me!' he snarls, trying to sound intimidating while being pinned to a couch. So pathetic it's sort of ridiculous. 'That can't be fuckin' ri—_ah!_' Idiot made the mistake of pushing against your hand, probably trying to sit up, and now he's pretty much writhing on the couch, clawing at your hand with jagged nails in a desperate attempt to free himself.

'Fuck! _Fuck!_ Get the fuck off me, Captor!' This time, you do. But only because there's a danger of him raising his voice enough that it actually carries into the other room, and you sure as hell don't want Feferi coming in. Eridan rolls onto his side, both arms wrapped around himself, cursing through clenched teeth. You can hear him panting and it sounds sort of raspy and it is with a small pang of guilt that you realize at least part of the injury's begun to internally bleed again.

It's only as he starts to cough wetly, the sickly-sweet grape of his blood sort of tangy in the air, that you realize you probably went too far.

Internal injuries notwithstanding, though, he still finds enough breath to take a bite back at you.

'_Funny_,' he snarls between coughs. 'Didn't know you thought about me _that_ way, Sol.' The heat of your anger is instantly washed away by an icy sense of foreboding. What's he getting at here? And, more importantly, do you really want to know?

'I mean,' he somehow manages to lever himself up on one elbow, despite the fact that he's shaking all over and obviously fighting for each breath, 'it's a bit sudden, but maybe we could work something out. Come to an agreement. My black is kinda open now, after all.' _Fuck_ him. Fuck him to the darkest recesses of hell! Into the Furthest fucking Ring with all the motherfucking Horrorterrors! The smirk in his voice just serves to make it worse.

You aren't really thinking straight. You bring you fist down hard on his chest and he makes a strangled sort of choking sound. But as you storm from the room – into _where_ you're not sure but not into the nutrition block – you can hear the weak wheeze of his laugh _and you hate him so damn much!_

And the worst thing about, the thing that motherfucking _takes the goddamn cake_, is how right he probably is.

* * *

So, first hints of my blackrom OTP.

It takes ages to actually get anywhere though. Don't hold your breath.

I can see why Hussie killed off so many trolls, now - juggling _twelve _characters, _and_ trying to advance the plot at the same time, is not an easy feat. But I will persevere!


	27. Vriska: Finish reading log

Set Vriska and Eridan as the main characters now. No longer feel so guilty about giving them so much attention now lol.

This fic does contain a few OCs.

'A few' as in, 'about four at the most'. They don't play a particularly important roll. Well one of them might. It depends how it goes actually. At any rate you meet one of them in this chapter.

* * *

====== Vriska: Finish reading log.

...Well, this messes with your plans a little.

The first message was about some get-together plan with the other girls, which you didn't care for and probably would've chosen not to go to even if you _weren't_ busy trekking through forests and jungles and ancient not-tombs. The second, however, is a command from your recognized leader, and although its mostly raging he does have some valid points. But if you go it'll pull you back far too soon and you've been sort of relying on not meeting anyone in person so that you can avoid awkward questions.

But maybe now is as good a time as any to tell them all anyway...

You can't actually talk it through though because, in a coincidence that is as fantastic as it is cruel, everyone else is offline and you missed the actual message because obviously there's no internet connection underground. That and the networking is a bit funny so you might not have been able to reply anyway. Tech is _sooooooo_ not your thing. Nor is it Tavvy's, so even between you, there's nothing you can do.

Said troll is sleeping beside you, curled up on the hard stone tiles and yet apparently perfectly comfortable. It's cute, but also a little irritating because of how well he's sleeping. You know you would _never_ be able to achieve such peace without _at least _a double concentration of sopor.

You groan quietly and rub your aching eyes. You don't exactly regret bringing him, and he's been helpful, though it does make you feel as if there's even _more_ pressure on you than usual. You do not like having pressure on you. You're used to being _free_.

Tavros has been following you around like a confused hoofbeast, not entirely sure what to do with itself and figuring its best just to stick close to its owner. Which you are not and do not want to be, but now sort of are anyway.

_Ugh!_

It is too bloody bright, and you don't know _how_ he can stand it. Even in the shade, it is way too fucking hot and the light reflects off the stone like a goddamn mirror... well not exactly like a mirror but intensely enough that you've had to shut your far more sensitive seven-pupil eye from the pain, making it even harder to see the husktop screen.

Speaking of which, it's time to stop putting off the inevitable. Only one of them's online, but at least this person'll be reasonably nice.

Nothing you can do but tell her the bad new, you guess.

agentGuile [AG] began trolling mediatorDeceit [MD]

AG: I have some sorta 8ad news

AG: Though I guess it depends on how you t8ke it

MD: ~Oh~dear~!~

MD: ~What~is~it~?~

AG: I've 8een summoned to a gathering of my friends

AG: And despite the way that sounds it's actually pretty important.

AG: So this'll pro8a8ly 8e my last mission for a while.

MD: ~But~this~is~so~important~!~

MD: ~And~I~thought~you~wanted~to~avoid~a~~~~~~wkward~questions~!~

AG: There is a verita8le ocean 8etween that A and that W.

AG: It 8n't *that* 8ad.

AG: 8esides, they're my friends

AG: I'll have to tell them sometime, may8e this is the time

AG: And you know who our leader actually is.

MD: ~sigh~

MD: ~Maybe~I~guess~...~

MD: ~Although~I~know~the~others~aren't~so~sure~about~his~identity~

MD: ~I'll~pass~the~message~on~anyway~!

AG: Thank you!

agentGuile [AG] ceased trolling mediatorDeceit [MD]

You set your husktop aside and lean back against the wall, kneading your temples and closing your other eye. You are so, _so_ tired it's not even funny. Or maybe it is and that's the joke. You don't know. Don't _want_ to know. But sleeping dry has always been a pain and your side hurts and you've pulled muscles you didn't even know you had from wheeling yourself around all day and your head feels like it's about to be split in two by knives driving into the back of your eyes. Fuck the sunlight. Fuck the _sun_. Fuck the stupid Alternian sun. The Earth sun was so much kinder...

But you try not to think about that.

Tavros shifted slightly in his sleep beside you, and you look round eagerly in case he's waking up. But no. He's smiling in his sleep now and probably dreaming about something lovely. And you don't have the heart to wake him up.

How he dodges the day-terrors is a mystery to you. Though you expect its something to do with how he never seems to feel hate or anger anymore.

You sort of envy him actually.

With a sigh, you close you eyes again and try to relax. You know you won't be able to sleep but you might as well rest. Sweet _Signless,_ are you tired...

====== Kanaya: Walk.

You are walking and have been doing so for quite some time. The sun is quite pleasant but you're starting to sweat, and you are regretting now designing an outfit more suited to traveling. As fashionable as these shoes are they are most certainly _not_ made for walking through deserts. They are filled with sand and your feet hurt. This dress appears to be a sort of sand magnet, or it would be if such a thing were possible. You wish you'd thought this out a little more carefully.

As a rainbow drinker you are naturally much faster and far more resilient than the average troll. But you are still getting very tired and worn. You've been speed-walking for hours, covering as much distance as possible while the sun is still in the sky. But the fact still remains that you are an incredibly long way away from Gamzee's hive and at this rate it could take you _weeks_ to get there. You need a plan. You really wish you had Tavros' ability right now. A steed of some sort is exactly what you need...

You also really wish you'd been able to fully figure out your Sylph of Space powers. They would be _really_ useful right now. Vriska had managed to get her Thief of Light powers back, but _she'd_ been God Tier level in the main timeline. How had she said she'd got hers back? Something about... sleeping? She told you in passing once but you hadn't paid much attention.

You are sort of regretting it now.

Nothing to do but keep walking, you guess... At least until you remember.

* * *

ahekdeoe903;kwow902owosw;owew

Those reviews left me totally flustered. I apologize for any lameness in my replies.

Bwaa, from what Kanaya has said in canon, she probably _does_ know how to utilize her Sylph of Space powers. But she never said what she can do!

Also I am trying my best with rainbow drinker lore, but Hussie hasn't given me much. I am assuming that they aren't _complete_ parodies of the Twilight vampires, and therefore can only maintain super speed for a limited amount of time (I'm assuming that they do have some form of super speed because of how Kanaya beat up Gamzee and Vriska, and killed Eridan, before any of them had time to react. And managed to catch the shades on her face before they hit the ground). Hopefully I'll have a chance to explore it in more detail later.


	28. Eridan: Drift and Dream

In which shit happens. Mostly to Eridan.

The formatting shit of this editor thing is annoying me again *le sign*. It doesn't align text on the right, only to the left and center. Oh well.

* * *

====== Eridan: Drift and dream.

A thousand dancing shadows... the starkness of the black and bright glittering white... no color but the bright violet streaks of your own cold blood.

Let it flow, flow and color in the empty blank spaces... a child's picture book, a child with one color... Silvery reflective hues, oily scum on the cold dark ocean surface, falling like the rain that never falls here...

Black and white burned into your corneas... shadows of wings and claws and falling feathers... paint the world with non-existent hues... the rainbow liquid life splattered on your own hands...

**_...thelordofangels..._**

**_...lessanarmandaneye...  
_**

**_...hecomeshecomes...  
_**

**_...wehearthescreaming...  
_**

A thousand deafening whispers gnawing at your mind, burrowing right into the core of your being, setting up home right beside your sanity, claws digging deep, so deep, like unmovable anchors. You feel them there.

**_...weusherintheend..._**

**_...hecomeshecomeshecomes...  
_**

**_...andyouwilljoinhim...  
_**

It's useless trying to block it out, but you still try. Running through the endless monochrome maze, filling your head with the echoes of your footsteps, your own gasps for breath, the beating of a frenzied heart.

_**...fillthisworld...**_

_**...withathousandshadesofblood...  
**_

Blocking it out is impossible... destroying the source is not. Beams of energy shattering the sky, drowning the noise with the splattering of blood and the sound of monstrous screams. You do it not for pleasure, but for necessity.

_**...givesyourhopetous...**_

_**...weareyourhope...  
**_

_**...youareourprince...  
**_

...It's so lonely here. Just you, on your own, because the others won't come near, won't _dare_ to come near. It isn't your fault they're cowards. But you still feel lonely...

_**...theirhopeisyourstotake...  
**_

_**...joinhimwhenhecomes...  
**_

_**...slaughteryourworthlessfellows...**_

_**...youareroyaltyyouareourprince...**_

Destroying them is pointless. They are _inside_ you, the whispering voices sounding forever in your head, deafeningly, drowning out your own conscience. You can hear their whispers in your mind, whenever you stop running, stop killing, stop trying to dodge your own destiny.

You are so tired...

**_...hewillmakeyougreat..._**

**_...thedarkangelourlord...  
_**

**_...joinhimwhenhecomes...  
_**

**_...destorytheirhope...  
_**

**_...everythingshallbeyours...  
_**

So tired... It would be so easy... just to stop fighting... and let your mind become their chapel... but...

_...but..._

A semblance of reason re-enters your confused, scared, floundering mind. You latch onto it as if it were life itself. For you, maybe it is.

_...but this was sweeps ago..._

You are confused. So confused, and the darkness seems so inviting. It doesn't hurt so much, the whispers aren't so loud... like a warm ocean, fathoms deep... achingly familiar and wonderfully homely and containing no pain... no fear... no worries or cares...

The darkness swallows you whole.

And your _heart_

_stops_

**_beating._**

====== Gamzee: Get the others in here. Pronto.

_Oh fucking shit motherfuck goddammit holy hell dear sweet motherfucking messiahs fuck fuck fuck **fuck**..._

'Feferi!' you yell, as loud as you can, 'Sollux! Fuck, I think he's going!' Feet thunder from upstairs, but it still takes them such an agonizingly long time to get back to the fucking recreationblock. Stupid fucking hive is way too fucking big!

Feferi enters first, moving in a blur of black hair and a few splashes of colour, pushing passed you, falling to her knees beside the couch and clutching Eridan's hand in both of her own. Sollux enters at a slower pace, feeling along the wall, but you can still see the worry and fear displayed plainly on his face.

'What do you mean?' he demands, head swiveling from you to Eridan and back again. You don't need to give a reply. Eridan's whole body convulses as a horrible wet rattle sounds from his throat, bright violet blood slipping down the sides of his mouth. His skin is ashen grey, unnaturally so, and his eyes are rolled up into the back of his head.

Feferi is practically having a panic attack, pale fuchsia tears streaming down her cheeks as she gasps and sobs and calls his name over and over. Sollux is cursing and kicking things and doesn't seem to have any idea what to do with himself. Or any idea how to _help._

You aren't doing much better. What the _fuck_ do you _do?_

In the end, the only thing that makes sense at that moment: run into the nutritionblock, grab your husktop and contact Karkat.

terminallyCapricious [TC] began trolling carcinoGenecist [CG]

TC: KARKAT

TC: FUCK IT KARKAT ANSWER

CG: CALM YOUR GANDERBULBS

CG: WHAT THE FUCK IS IT?

TC: HE'S FUCKING DYING KARKAT

TC: HE'S FUCKING DYING AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK TO DO

The pause is agonizingly long. Seconds tick by and each one is filled with nothing but the sounds of a troll choking on their own blood and the anguished wails of someone feeling a section of their soul being ripped away.

CG: THE LIFEY THING

The answer is infuriatingly obscure. _What_ 'lifey thing'? You stare incredulously at the screen, eyes skidding over the grey text that pops up almost too fast to keep up with.

CG: MAKE FEFERI DO THE LIFEY THING

CG: SHE'S DONE IT BEFORE

CG: I WATCHED HER

CG: THE GUY WAS DEAD

CG: BUT SHE BROUGHT HIM BACK TO LIFE

CG: ***IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE HIM YOU SHITSPONGE***

Without even thinking about it your leaning into the room, claws digging into the door frame, and shouting at the top of your lungs.

'DO THE LIFEY THING!_'_ Feferi doesn't look up. She doesn't even seem to hear you. '_FEFERI!'_ you roar. _'DO. THE. LIFEY THING!'_ You've gained her attention, but she looks scared and confused and you just want to _scream_ with frustration.

'_How?_' she gasps beseechingly. '_How do I do it?'_ She really wants to save him. It's written on her face, singing from her body, but she _isn't doing anything_.

'_JUST DO THE LIFEY THING!_'

====== Feferi: Do the Lifey Thing.

But you can't! The memories of your doomed alternate self, the one who achieved God Tier, are like half-forgotten dreams. There, but almost completely out of reach. You vaguely remember a Dersite male, a hole through his stomach and a still, dead heart. You remember placing your hands on him, body cold and lifeless, tendrils of fuchsia light snaking up from both off your bodies. And then the hole is gone and he breaths.

But you have no idea how you did it!

Eridan jerks once, a shudder running through his whole body, and in desperation you place both hands on his chest, digging deep into your soul for the instinctive knowledge and foreign power that you have used once before but don't remember how to.

It is also then that his body stills and his heart stops beating.

====== DO THE LIFEY THING! DO THE LIFEY THING! _DO THE LIFEY THING!_

You somehow do The Lifey Thing.

Somehow. You have no idea how it works. One moment you have your hands on the body of a friend. The next, your skin is glowing with fuchsia light that slips from your skin like glowing liquid, like your own tears and blood, like _life_ is flowing from your hands and onto his cooling skin.

The light intensifies and you feel as if you're reaching out, feeling into the darkness as you will him to come back, taking his soul is your hands and pulling it back to his body, back to this world.

Back to _you_.

The deep, rasping breath he takes is the sweetest sound you have ever heard. He gives a small cough, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. Then his eyes flutter open and for the first time in sweeps he looks at you,_ really_ looks at you, and you vision starts to blur again because you are so, _so_ happy.

Doing The Lifey Thing (it's a great name, it really is) has left you feeling rather light-headed and breathless and all you can do is stare at him as he pushes himself up, barely wincing at the movement, and looks around himself in confusion.

'What happened?' he asks, voice sounding so wonderfully strong and healthy, if completely bemused. No one says anything in reply and he scowls in annoyance. You don't know whether its because you're so glad he's alright or because doing The Lifey Thing has addled your mind slightly or whether its something else entirely, but it makes him look _so damn cute_ that all you want to do is cuddle him.

Then he looks at your and his gaze instantly softens. His glasses are off and the violet pigment has already begun to tinge his irises and it looks utterly amazing.

'Are you alright?' he asks, voice so achingly gentle. And then you decide not to hold back anymore, and hug him.

He makes a strangled sound of surprise as your arms wrap around his neck and you can tell that for him this is one of the most awkward things he has ever experienced but you're too busy laughing and crying and hugging to care.

And as his arms slowly wrap around your waist and his chest vibrates with a deep, happy laugh you know that _nothing_ could make this moment more perfect.

====== Gamzee: Give the good news.

TC: it worked bro!

TC: honk honk honk! :oD

TC: Eribro's alive and Fefsis is all up and smiling like it's fucking Twelfth Perigee come early!

CG: THANK *FUCK*.

CG: I CAN SEE YOUR HIVE FROM HERE WE'LL BE THERE SOON

CG: GIVE ERIDAN A NICE BIG PUNCH FROM ME AND TEREZI FOR SCARING US SO FUCKING BADLY.

CG: THEN TELL HIM THAT I'M FUCKING GLAD HE'S STILL ALIVE.

TC: sure thing bro ;o)

CG: WHATEVER.

carcinoGenecist [CG] ceased trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

* * *

Selena still sucks at action~!

I blame the angels about 90% for Eridan's breakdown. Can you tell? XD

**Oh! I _do_ have something interesting to say! This Sunday, I will probably be going to the London Film and Comic Con as Rose. Hopefully my parents will agree 'cause my friend literally Skype'd me yesterday to tell me and it was very short notice. But I've managed to get the costume together. I know I don't have many English readers (compared to my American ones anyway) but is anyone who reads this going? It'd be great to meet people!**

Review?


	29. Terezi: Regard Proceedings

hduiuiuisjiio almost forgot to upload the damn chapter! I have my school prom today so I'm doing this in a bit of a hurry. Sorry for any mistakes that have slipped through! I might come back and edit it more later.

* * *

====== Terezi: Observe proceedings with amusement.

After walking for most of the day, you and Karkles have finally arrived at Gamzee's hive. Both of your were tired, but Karkat looked as if he was about to pass out. Eridan's huge death-scare hadn't helped matters. You had been carefully preparing yourself for a barrage of shouting and swearing from him as soon as you arrived at Gamzee's, but surprisingly, it never came.

And now you are witnessing the miracle that is moirailship.

As soon as Gamzee had opened the door, as soon as Karkat had set eyes on him, all of the tension had drained from his body. And as Gamzee gently steers him inside, he looks truly relaxed for the first time in ages.

You follow him in just as Gamzee pushes Karkat's backpack from his weary shoulders and dumps it on the floor, not giving it a second glance. He just looks down at Karkat with a serene smile, eyes half-closed, pretty much the same as when he'd been high on sopor. But he smells so much healthier. Karkat isn't like any sort of drug – what he is instead, you aren't sure, but he's so much better than any chemical.

'You look like you should be getting your motherfucking nap on, bro,' he says, and although Karkat mutters something rude in reply, the effort of shake off Gamzee's hand is half-hearted at most and he makes no further objection to Gamzee leading him upstairs, and probably into a pile of some sort. You don't think you'll be seeing them for a while.

So you wander into the recreationblock, which is where the others are, and sink into a large armchair, content you to listen into conversations for a while and maybe doze a bit. Your are dead tired, but a little too interested to actually sleep.

'...so you _definitely_ don't remember _anything?_' Sollux is asking Eridan suspiciously. 'Nothing _at all?_'

'No...' Eridan replies warily. 'Did anythin' happen that I should take note of?' Then, with mounting trepidation, 'oh, fuck, what did I say? I said somethin' really _embarrassin_' or _degradin_' didn't I? Oh, fuck. _Fuck_...' Feferi gives a light little giggle and you offer a small cackle of your own.

'Hey TZ,' says Sollux. He sounds almost cheerful, which is saying something. In fact the whole room smells pretty cheerful. Feferi is exuding it in waves and even Eridan smells quite happy, even if it is in a slightly confused and wary sort of way. You doubt that anyone's really explained anything to him yet.

Well, you won't be the one who does. Besides, you don't really know yourself.

'It's good to see you again, Terezi!' Feferi chirrups, smiling brightly. You can smell the burnt-toast shadows beneath her eyes and know she must be exhausted, but she seems too happy and excited to sleep. And although you yourself are dead tired, you have way too many questions and queries to fall asleep just yet.

'What happened exactly anyway?' you ask. 'Karkat's said hardly anything! Just that it was really important that we got here. And then later that Eridan was dying.' You turn your head towards the sea-troll. The direction in which your nose points doesn't enhance scents much, but it does help. 'Were you?' you ask.

'Pretty much, yeah,' he says, rather uncomfortably. You give him one of your rarer smiles, the sort that doesn't involve all of your teeth showing, and he seems to relax a bit. But only a bit. It's weird. There's something decidedly off about his smell which you can't quite place...

But it's probably just the whole death-scare thing. _Anyone_ would be a bit off after that.

Sollux gets up, rolling his shoulders with loud popping sounds. 'I'm going to sleep,' he grumbles. 'If there even _is_ a place where I can sleep.'

'Why don't we just all sleep in here?' Feferi suggests. 'Besides, I don't think there are any conches anywhere else. Couches, I mean,' she corrects quickly, with a giggle.

'Well, this pillow still has my blood on it,' Eridan mutters, chucking said offending fluff-filled article onto the floor with an air of disgust. 'And where're my scarf and cape?'

'Why?' Sollux asks scathingly. 'You really _sleep_ with them on?'

'They're mental armour,' Eridan replies defensibly. 'And considerin' the fact that I just _died_, not for the first time I might add, I think I have a right to need them!'

'You didn't _die,_' Sollux scoffs.

'I should think _I'd_ know if my heart stopped beatin'!'

'Oh, stop it, both of you!' Feferi snaps, although you can tell she's trying not to laugh. 'Settle down this instant or I'm kicking you both out! And I mean that literally!'

'Yes, your majesty,' says Eridan, voice slightly patronizing but mostly amused. Sollux gives a moody half-shrug and collapses backwards into another armchair, with perfect aim. If he was showing off it went completely unnoticed, however. Feferi and Eridan are carefully curling up on the couch, using up cushions as pillows and resting their heads on the low, squashy armrests. You think you hear Sollux give a little huff of annoyance but you don't give it much attention because your eyelids have already slipped down and you're already falling asleep.

Under any other circumstances, sleeping sitting upright, and especially sleeping sitting upright _dry_, would give you little to no rest. But traveling all day has worn you out, and you're pretty certain that there won't be any daymares today.

====== Gamzee: Get your motherfucking nap on.

You are settled comfortably into your horn pile, pale-bro's head resting on your chest, arms snaking around your back to grasp your holders from behind. He's fast asleep, breathing deep and even. You yourself are rhythmically running your hands up and down his back, content and sleepy and dozily fascinated by Karkat's wonderful little horns. Nubby and cute. And easier to live with, too, probably. Your hive has pretty high ceilings but the tips of your horns still brush the tops of the door frames. You hope you don't get much taller... it's awkward enough as it is...

The sleeping troll mutters something in his sleep, eyebrows furrowing, and you automatically switch from rubbing his back to gently stroking his hair with one hand, while wrapping your other arm firmly around him.

He shifts slightly, arms briefly tightening around you before he relaxes again, and you smile. He's so tired. So are you, for that matter, and now that Eri-bro is alright, not hurt and definitely not dying, you can finally get some good motherfucking shut eye.

Things aren't over yet. In fact, they've barely even started. You know this for sure and a part of you is terrified of what the next few nights will bring.

But with your moirail in your arms, it is easy to simply close you eyes and sleep.

* * *

Don't have time to reply to any reviews or messages right now, I'm afraid! Hope you enjoyed!


	30. Tavros: Wake Up

Another fantroll introduced. There will be at least three (named ones) appearing in total, though not necessarily more than once.

Sorry this is quite late, btw, but I do have a life outside of the internet.

Oh, and the fantroll substitutes Ts for 7s. It doesn't make a lot of sense and is hard to read, so I thought I'd give you a heads up. Trust me to make OCs with the most annoying quirks...

* * *

====== Tavros: Wake up.

You yawn, and slowly open your eyes. The sun has set and it's about time to get up really. The hard floor has left you stiff and you stretch as you sit up, joints popping. Your neck is a bit stiff but you had a good sleep so you're ok otherwise.

You turn to Vriska, who is sitting beside you, and open your mouth to tell her that you're ready to go now because you've slept for long enough and even though you're a bit stiff travelling should be easier now... before you realize that her eyes are closed and she is dozing peacefully while sitting propped against the wall.

You're unsure whether to wake her or not. You know you need to get going as soon as possible... but she looks so tired and you know she can't have recovered from her injuries yet. She really does need rest... so you decide not to disturb her.

Suddenly her husktop gives a beep and you jump, scrabbling around to look at the screen. She's left it on and open, and a wall of purple text has filled the screen. You know you shouldn't look. It's probably very private. It might even be about quadrants!

...But it's not a tag or quirk you recognize, and you have so many questions and just reading the log can't hurt, right?

heraldingHoras [HH] began trolling agentGuile [AG]

HH: 53RK37

HH: C0M3 1N 53RK37

HH: 5W337 5UFF3R3R!

HH: Y0U H4D 83773R N07 83 45L33P!

HH: W4K3 UP 4ND 4N5W3R!

HH: 1 4M G01N6 70 FL1P 50M37H1N6!

HH: 1 4M!

HH: 4ND Y0U KN0W WH47 1 C4N D0 70 Y0UR D4MN HU5K70P!

HH: 5L33P1N6 15 1MP0RT4NT BU7 50 15 H4V1N6 BO7H 4RM5 4ND 1 533M 2 83 D01N6 0K C0N51D3R1N6!

HH: 53RK37 637 Y0UR F4T 455 0FF 7H3 FL00R R16H7 7H15 1N574N7!

HH: FUCK Y0U!

HH: 4ND FUCK M3 F0R 7H1NK1N6 1 C0ULD R3LY 0N Y0U!

Your hands hover over the keyboard. You know you shouldn't but this guy is saying really mean things about your friend and besides, he seems to be threatening to damage Vriska's husktop in some way.

When you start to type, for some reason the letters come up in Nepeta's shade of olive green. She's using a different troll handle too although the initials are the same...

AG: yOU SHOULD, sTOP SAYING THOSE THINGS!

HH: WH47 TH3 FUCK

HH: Y0U 4R3N'T 53RK37

HH: 0H W417 Y0U MU57 83 7H47 8R0N23 8L00D 5H3 M3N710N3D

AG: uHH,

HH: D0 U5 4 F4V0UR 4ND W4K3 H3R UP!

AG: nO

AG: vRISKA IS VERY TIRED

AG: i AM lETTING, hER SLEEP, bECAUSE, sHE REALLY NEEDS IT,

HH: L00K, D1P5H17, 7H15 15 1MP0R74N7

AG: sO IS HER, sLEEPING!

HH: 7H3N FUCK TH3 807H 0F Y0U

HH: 1 W0ULD 8L0W UP 7H3 D4MN HUSK70P 1N Y0UR F4C3 1F 7H47 W0ULDN'7 83 R34LLY 5TUP1DLY C0UN73R-PR0DUC71V3

HH: 1 W0ULD 61V3 MY 1 R3M41N1N6 4RM F0R 7H1N65 T0 83 M0R3 S1MPL3!

AG: oH, uM, i'M SORRY ABOUT THAT

AG: yOUR ARM, i MEAN

HH: WH473V3R

AG: i, uH, hAVE A FRIEND WHO DOES, pROSTHETICS IF YOU'RE, iNTERESTED

HH: 1 541D 5HU7 UP

HH: 1'M 5CR3W3D E1TH3R FUCK1N6 W4Y

HH: 4ND 50 4R3 Y0U!

HH: CR1PL3

AG: tHAT'S NOT, vERY NICE

HH: N137H3R 15 7H15 M07H3RFUCK1N6 Pl4N37

HH: 637 U53D 70 1T, WR166L3R

AG: uHH,,

HH: W3LL 1F Y0U'R3 N07 GO1N6 T0 W4K3 53RKE7 1'LL JU57 L34V3

HH: WH47 4 C0L0554L W45T3 0F 71M3 7H15 W4S

HH: 73LL 53RK37 70 60 PA1L H3R53LF!

AG: eRM,,,

heraldingHoras [HH] ceased trolling agentGuile [AG]

You are left staring blankly the husktop. That troll's quirk is one of the hardest to decipher you have ever encountered! Terezi's is bad enough and she only uses three numbers!

You carefully move away from the husktop, hoping that it hasn't moved a millimeter from where it had been before. There's no need to Vriska to know... in fact you might delete the log... because you really shouldn't've done that and she gets really scary when she's angry and—

Her eyes are open.

'Who was it?' she asks, face and voice impassive.

'Uh, their handle was... heraldingHoras...?' you reply, having to glance quickly at the screen. Much to your relief Vriska just smirks and sits up properly. Apparently you haven't done anything _too_ bad...

'That jerk,' she says, picking up the husktop and getting to her feet, stretching slightly. 'They say he was quite nice before he lost his arm,' she adds. 'Don't take anything he said personally. He's like that to everyone.' She sinks down into the four wheeled device, still looking really tired.

'I can, um, push if you want,' you offer, making an odd sort of pushing gesture with your hands which you don't think she sees. Vriska is silent for a moment, and you expect her to refuse, to say that she doesn't need anyone's help, because that's usually what she says when you offer.

But instead she says, 'yeah, actually. That'd be good.' She doesn't look at you, and you can only guess that she must be really, _really_ tired.

You puck your backpack on again and hang the other two on the back of the four wheeled device. Vriska doesn't complain so you guess it's ok. Then you start pushing, out of the courtyard, back the way you came. You're not sure where you're heading next but this seems like a good place to start. Just another thing Vriska hasn't told you yet...

'We're actually heading towards Gamzee's place now,' she says. 'Order from our dear leader. You know the way, right?'

'Uh, yeah,' you reply. You and Gamzee actually live pretty close, just a few miles apart. You know how to get there just by following the coast line. The main problem, actually, is finding your way back to your own hive...

'Good,' Vriska replies, tapping something into her husktop. You hope she's opening the map again. Otherwise you'll be lost within minutes...

'Talk to me,' she says abruptly. 'I need to stay awake. Ask me a question or something.'

'Er...' You're not good at saying _anything_ when you're put on the spot like this. 'Who is, um, heraldingHoras really? Are you allowed to say?'

'He's someone I'm working with,' Vriska replies. 'And he's a jerk. Seriously, the biggest jerk I've ever met and that's saying something. He's, like, the perfect Sufferist icon. Blood and violence all the way. He won't tell me his real name and _always_ calls me 'Serket'. I think it's because I'm a blueblood. He doesn't trust me.'

'But I thought, um, purples and blues got on quite well?' Vriska gives a snort, which quickly turns into a laugh that has her doubled over where she sits, thumping her things with her fists. You stare at her, wondering what's so funny.

'Oh, God, I forgot you didn't know!' she chokes out. Then she takes a deep breath and manages to calm down a little. 'We've essentially swapped all our blood colours,' she explains. 'That's why 'agentGuile' is olive. I hate that handle, by the way. But Horas is really a yellow... though he calls himself a 'gold', for some reason.'

'He called me a bronze,' you say. Vriska nods.

'Yeah, he always tries to glamorize the lowbloods. I'm just 'cerulean'.'

'And, um, why do you swap?' you inquire, very politely. You have the feeling that swapping colors is illegal, though you'll have to check with Terezi. 'If you don't mind,' you add hastily. Vriska does the eye-roll thing that makes her head move with them and you blush slightly in embarrassment.

'_Really_,' she says, 'it's to make it look as if we have stronger support than we really do. Have more highbloods involved. The reason usually given, though, is just so that we can hide ourselves better. At least throw people off the trail a bit. I've only met one genuine highblood involved...' She trails off, seeming to lapse into thought. You wait about a minute before posing your next question.

'What's... what's a 'Sufferist'?' You think Vriska stiffens a little, but she gives an answer.

'Someone who follows the teachings of The Signless,' she says. 'Although... it's a bit different. There are Signlessists and Sufferists, and their ideals are pretty different even though the origins of their beliefs stem from the same damn troll.' She sounds slightly scornful as she says this. 'Signlessists believe in equality between all castes. Sufferists... well,' she heaves a dramatic, irritated sigh. 'Blood and violence all the way. They believe that 'lowbloods' should rise up against 'highbloods' and rule Alternia in their stead.' She stops, and you can see her fists are clenched.

'And you don't believe that?' It was meant to be a statement, but it came out more as a question.

'_Fuck_ no!' she declares happily. 'Although I'm not really either.' She gives a slightly bitter chuckle. 'Well, I _know_ Karkat – I doubt that _either_ way is likely to apply! But no, equality is better. Besides, _I'm_ a highblood! They'd kill me!'

'Um, right,' you say. You're not liking this topic. Vriska's reactions to your questions are making you nervous. Time to change the subject... uh... what to say...

As it turns out, you don't have to. You have just reached the exit when suddenly, slipping from the darkness like a shadow, another troll steps out to bar your path.

Vriska snaps her husktop closed, instantly tense. You pull the four wheeled device to an abrupt halt, freezing where you stand. Alarms bells are ringing in your head. Whoever this is, they are _not_ friendly. You can see it in the way they stand, in their narrowed eyes, and in the thick, heavy mace club they're clutching in their hand.

'Apologies,' they say. Their voice is a low, soft drawl, and sounds male. But this only makes hearing it worse. Because you know that whatever comes next will chill you to the bone.

And it does.

'You have to die.'

Vriska gets up, slowly, fists clenched around her dice. Something about her movement is almost more frightening than the other troll's voice. She is like a spider eyeing a particularly large and juicy fly as she steadily creeps towards it.

'Bring it, _bitch,_' she snarls, and you can tell from her voice that she's smiling.

* * *

_**DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN!**_

/shot

Hopefully I managed to answer some unasked questions in this.

Review?


	31. Feferi: Sit around and socialize

Here ya go! Bit of a break from the action, but I won't leave the cliffie _too_ long.

* * *

====== Feferi: Sit around and socialize.

You are... but mainly because it's really the only thing you really can be doing.

Everyone's a bit grumpy because nobody's gotten enough sleep recently, Sollux and Karkat especially. Gamzee's making some sort of meal in the kitchen – it's not really the right time for anything except maybe tea but you all need to eat – 'because he's the host'. He's left the television on, although no one's really watching it. Eridan is sort of pretending to but his eyelids keeping slipping closed and he's really just dozing, slumped back into a corner of the couch, cloak cocooned around him. His scarf had been impossible to save. Its brief use as a temporary dressing had completely ruined it, and Gamzee had burned it at the first opportunity.

You hadn't healed Eridan completely, as it turns out, although he's certainly a lot better than he was before. You think both injuries will scar, and personally you're just glad his glasses provided enough protection – the strike to his face would have half-blinded him had it met his eye.

But thankfully they are the only injuries. Karkat had obviously suspected otherwise. The first thing had had done when he had finally reappeared from upstairs was march up to him and demand to see his wrists.

'I haven't been cutting,' Eridan had instantly replied.

'Show me your wrists,' Karkat had repeated. Eridan had relented and after inspecting them very carefully indeed, Karkat had stalked off after Gamzee without saying another word. Anyone else would have thought he'd been angry at having been proved wrong. But you all know him well enough to tell he was relieved, if maybe a bit miffed.

He came back in a few minutes afterwards and promptly started an argument with Terezi and Sollux. You contribute sometimes, but mostly just listen in. You're still too tired to do anything as strenuous as quarrel.

Equius and Nepeta arrive just before the meal is ready. They mingle. Everything is nice and friendly and sociable.

...Or at least, you're telling yourself that. In reality there is an strong underlying tension that can't simply go unnoticed. It has been building steadily and the arrival of Nepeta and Equius hasn't done anything ease it. You think it might simply be the blood diversity. Or at least, you hope it is. It's natural for trolls to get edgy amongst those of castes higher or very close to themselves. And there would always be tension between Equius and Gamzee. And probably Sollux and Eridan too...

You're not exactly looking forward to everyone else arriving. Having the full spectrum in one building... well, last time you all tried it people ended up dying. And at the moment, things might even be worse. You've all grown, and are all growing, and as eyes turn hormones and, well...

Your cheeks flush with fuchsia, and you duck your head so that your hair conceals your face. It's nothing to be embarrassed about_ really_, but...

..._Pheromones_ are going to be very... _active_...

It really _has_ been too long since you all met up. You can't speak for everyone but you know that there are still a lot of feelings and grudges left unresolved since the game. Things that should have been gone over and talked through a long time ago, old wounds never properly treated, but have instead just been left to fade... or fester.

You're anxious, yes. Very much so. But you also feel sort of resigned to it. It has to happen, sooner or later, and things will just get worse if it's left too long.

But that doesn't mean it's going to be fun.

====== Karkat: Sulk.

You would prefer not to call it that. Contemplating, you'd like better, or brooding, which would be equally adequate.

But yeah, you are sulking. You are sitting at the eating platform, glowering into your stew (which is pretty good, actually), and sulking.

Terezi has been being an absolute nightmare, and Sollux hasn't been helping at all. Gamzee was too busy cooking to be of any help, and you don't know how much he could've done anyway. Terezi's tactics were too subtle to easily see, and she wasn't actually hurting you... Damn the teal and her mind games!

She got you saying and then trying to justify a lot of things you would _really_ have preferred not to talk about and _fuck_ was it humiliating.

So now you are sulking and also rather bored, which isn't a good combo. You feel as if everyone is ignoring you on purpose, which they probably aren't, but _still..._

Everyone else is talking to someone about something, leaving you to moodily eat your meal in silence. Gamzee's presence beside you doesn't help much when he's busy talking with Sollux. Equius is on your other side but _he's_ immersed in a conversation with his own moirail and it's not like you ever spoke much anyway. So here you are, sandwiched between two people intently looking away from you, sulking over your position. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Eridan catches you eyes from across the platform and opens his mouth to say something, before seeming to change his mind and looking back down at his bowl. He hasn't eaten much of his stew, you note, which you think is a bit weird considering he's been unconscious for over twelve hours and hasn't eaten anything for even longer. And yes, you _are_ sort of worried – you're worried about _everyone_. Too much shit has happened recently to be considered normal for even _your_ fucked-up life.

You consider _making_ Eridan talk to you, if just for something to do... but then Feferi starts talking to him or fussing over him or something along those lines and he's too sufficiently distracted to consider talking to you again.

After about an hour, in which you angrily devour more stew than you think you should physically be able to and show no signs of stopping, you receive a message from Aradia that she's passed Terezi's hive and should be here sometime later this night. Which you guess is good news, but it does mean yet another troll to keep an eye on...

You're meant to be a leader, but you feel more like a lusus. The sooner this is over with, the better, in your opinion...

But for now you'll just have to deal with too many teenage trolls in one hive for it to be safe, really awkward feelings from everyone involved _including you_, _and_ having to deal with what you actually all came here for...

...which in all of the confusion you're starting to forget...

..._What in the name of the Mother Grub's sweet stinking birth canal made you think that this was a good idea?_

* * *

Future chapters will be a bit more like this – less action, but more drama. Involving emotions and hormones. It's where the shipping happens, guys. Get ready.

(No smut though. Sorry.)

But it's still pretty vital to the plot. It isn't like, say, _filler_ or anything.

Review?


	32. Meanwhile

Sorry guys, but I probably won't be able to upload a chapter tomorrow after all D= I have to get up at about 6.30 to get to my friend's house in time to sort stuff out before we go to the con. So I may well do a double-update today to make up for it =] (but only if I get plenty of reviews...)

* * *

====== Meanwhile...

The cold, sharp edges of your dice bite comfortingly into your palm, keeping you nicely grounded as your rise from your seat and step forward to meet your opponent. It doesn't matter that you're almost too tired to think. The pain from your wounds is irrelevant. The fact that this troll is both physically stronger and a shade higher than you means nothing.

Because Tavros is standing behind you and you can practically _feel_ his fear and this isn't the sort of fight you have to win just for yourself.

You knew it would be dangerous getting him involved. But you were an idiot and got him involved anyway. And even if you probably _weren't_ trespassing on an indigo's territory, well, you've just been taught speaking blatant blasphemy. And as usual, everything if your own stupid fault.

You got him into this. So you're going to get him out. It's as simple as that.

You steal the stupid stuck-up blueblood's luck, watching his screwed up little eyes widen in surprise as the light dances from your own seven pupils.

Then you roll.

====== Vriska: _STRIIIIIIIIFE!_

The roll presents you with a royal cerulean scimitar, not dissimilar from the one that usually comes with _Ancestral Awakening_. Aw yeah!

He is surprised, and the momentary distraction is all you need. You leap forward, darting in with you blade, and the mace he holds is too heavy and slow to block your strike completely. You take a nice little slice our of his shoulder and the sight of leaking indigo does nothing to quell your excitement.

It has been _way too long_ since you have done something like this! Believing in equality between the castes hasn't done much for your natural bloodthirsty-ness and you don't give a shit!

He swings his weapon, the ridiculous hulk of iron, and you swiftly dodge out of the way, grinning, and taking the opportunity to nick his cheek with the very tip of your blade, deep enough to scar. He'll never forget you, now, now that he'll _always_ have a reminder! You're toying with him and you love it!

So maybe that's why it goes wrong.

Or maybe it's because you choose the moment directly after deeply humiliating him to glance at Tavros, taking your eyes off you opponent entirely.

Or maybe it's because your side injury chooses that moment to feel as if lightning is searing through your flesh, temporarily blocking out every coherent thought other than _fuck, ow_.

Or perhaps it's a mixture of all three.

You don't know, and doubt that you ever will. All you will ever remember is a blur of metallic grey at the corner of your vision, followed by a strike to your ribs that leaves you gasping for breath. You don't even feel the second strike.

A ringing sound that fills your mind as it shatters through your skull

and thousands of stars shooting across the night sky as the world around you tips and spins long after you have stopped falling.

...Fuck.

The indigo towers above you, mace raised... and for some reason all you can really think about is how much you've managed to fuck up this time.

You accept your impending death with an absurd amount of ease. It could, you guess, just be a result of that horrific blow to the head. Or maybe it's because you don't really believe that you'll die. Or perhaps it's just because you've already died so many times it no longer feels like such a big deal. You'll just wander through dream bubbles for a while until somebody pulls some shit and gets you resurrected...

So the only thing you're really scared of, so absolutely _terrified_ of, is the thought of Tavros joining you there.

You ruined so much for him already. First his legs... then forcing him to scoop up your battered body and scaring him so damn much he spent the rest of the game asleep... finally killing him off for real, smiling while you did so... and now this.

Everything is so insanely fucked up it makes a double-mobius reach-around under Not Funny and comes back up as Absolutely Fucking Hilarious.

You'd laugh, if you weren't currently choking on your own breath. Blows to the head and ribcage are still firmly classified as Not Fun. Fuck. Something is definitely broken. Probably several somethings, judging by the pain. Ow.

All eight of your pupils are unfocussed. In the incredibly slight chance that you survive this, your head will probably kill you. Even though you're still reeling from the shock and the pain has barely even hit at all, you can tell that the headache is going to be a _bitch_. A huge bitch. An even huger bitch than you and that's saying something.

The mace rises above you in slow motion and you have just enough time to think, _well, this is it_, before it swings down towards you and

and

and suddenly your head is filled with the galloping of hooves and

what

the

_fuck_.

You don't think you're hallucinating. The rock beneath your head is shuddering in a very realistic sort of way and the mace has stopped coming down now and the indigo is turning and

and

_seriously?_

You mean, _seriously?_

...Apparently so.

Your octuple vision coupled with your very low vantage point doesn't allow you a very good view, but you think you get the gist of it. After lying there for a few seconds, totally stunned, just trying to patch it all together.

Tavros on a hoofbeast. _Riding_ a hoofbeast like an actual Cavalreaper, perfectly balanced and clutching his lance – the lance that you used to kill him with _oh God_ – in both hands. You know he's been practicing but you had no idea that he could actually _do_ anything. The indigo had about a second to react and then, _bam!_

You didn't see what happened to them because whatever it was happened completely outside your range of vision, but you can hear the hooves slowing to a trot and then stopping altogether, and now you're being approached by the sound of metal feet against stone.

'V-Vriska?' Tavros says. His eight heads slide in and out of focus, spinning and tipping nauseatingly. But you can see splatters of blue on his face which you don't think can be yours'. His hands flutter over your chest, over your head, and you're wondering if it really is as bad as his face makes it out to be. Then he slides his arms under your shoulders and knees and lifts, and the _agony_ that rips through your body is enough to make you cry out because you honestly feel as if you're dying again.

With stammered apologies he stumbles over to what you think must be the mangled remains of the four wheeled device, knocked flying by his charge on the hoofbeast. For a while everything is just _pain_ as he presses bits of gauze over your new wounds and haphazardly bandages them down, although you're not sure what it'll do for broken ribs other than maybe keep them still. Your head does seem to be bleeding, though.

Then the hoofbeast canters over and you just about manage to choke out for him to _bring the fucking packs_ before you're being loaded onto the creature's back, kept firmly in place by Tavros' trembling arms and _finally_ leaving the godforsaken place.

You can only guess something serious has happened because you're moving fucking _fast_.

And that's the last thing you think before you pass out.

* * *

I'm sorry Vriska! I do like you really! But what happens is really importaaaaaaaant! D= Plus with those injuries I thought it'd be a bit unlikely for you to win so yeah...

Anonymous 1 - All in good time =] And thanks for reviewing!

Anonymous 2 - Meh, it's not really my thing. But perhaps one day ;]

Sorry those replies are so late btw!


	33. Kanaya: Sew dress, ride featherbeast

Con was AWESOME, though I'm dead tired! Didn't meet many Homestucks unfortunately, but I had a great time! =D

And I had to go back home without the rest of the my group so I sat on the train and knitted because that is what Rose does and it was glorious.

And I didn't take my wig off even once! Not until I got home! Even though it was as itchy as fuck and the hairband killed my head!

Sorry if there are any glaring mistakes, by the way, but I'm not really with it enough to do any proper editing, lol.

* * *

====== Kanaya: Sew the dress, ride the featherbeast.

Oh yes.

Hell, _fucking, _YES!

This is pretty amazing, you must say. After hours of walking and covering only about ten miles, you finally came upon signs of civilization, including a young olive-blooded troll and his lusus.

Which you promptly high jacked.

...Well, not _high jacked_ specifically, more _politely asked to borrow_. And it appears that being a rainbowdrinker is at least a little like it is in the novels because the young troll boy went sort of glassy eyed and just nodded mutely. You are letting him come with you, which means that you'll probably have to get off sooner than you'd like for security's sake, but you feel that it would be far too impolite to simply disappear with his lusus. Besides, he knows how to steer it.

You are _absolutely living it up!_

The thread is a little hard to handle with the wind rushing by as it is, but you are working steadily on one of your many projects as a way to pass the time. It is a current favorite of yours, and nearly done too. The fabric is a lovely dark green, onto which you've sewn strips of jade. The style is truly ancient and you have no idea what possessed you to make it, but you like it in its own way. Not the sort of thing you'll ever probably wear, but that doesn't matter. You think you'll embroider your sign onto it somewhere, and you're in the process of hand-stitching a sort of shawl onto the sleeves, using fabric so fine and thin that it's barely visible. You've designed it so that it will hopefully hang around you when you fold your arms.

You think you might make something for the troll you're traveling with, too. He's been very nice. You wonder what he'd like... something in olive, probably. You commissioned something for Nepeta not too long ago so you probably have enough material left some something simple, like a cloak or a jacket... maybe a T-shirt would be enough, with his sign on...

Oh well. It's not as if you haven't got days, if not over a week to work on this.

You soon put it out of your mind, preferring instead to focus on the steady rush of wind in your ears and the rhythmic dip and pull of the needle between your fingers.

...Until someone starts trolling you. How typical. You wonder who it could be...

====== Karkat: Abscond.

You _just can't __**do**__ this anymore!_

Breakfast or lunch or dinner or _what the fuck ever_ is over and everyone is steadily migrating back into the recreationblock, content to while away the hours dozing or talking or watching the picturebox.

Including the people who you want to avoid.

So you very cautiously slither out of the other door, the one that leads from the nutritionblock and to another set of stairs. You've visited Gamzee's hive enough times to know your way around it, and you are aiming to find a nice, secluded block upstairs where you can mess around on your husktop and maybe program something or chat to someone you actually _want_ to talk to.

If Gamzee notices, then he doesn't say anything, which is why you like him and are _so_ glad you have him as a moirail – he knows when to keep his proteinmuncher shut, and knows what's best for you. Which is currently burying yourself underneath a pile of blankets and taking your rage out on your husktop.

And you are so nearly calmed down by the time you are interrupted. So nearly that being disturbed almost _hurts._

'Karkles?' says the quiet voice from the doorway of the room, and you instantly freeze. Because she _would_ come after you, wouldn't she? You want to either punch her, _hard_, or go fling yourself into Gamzee's arms. You can't quite decide which is more pathetic. At any rate, they'd both mean that she's won.

'Oh my God, don't you ever _quit?_' you snarl, slamming your husktop closed. This'll turn into a fully platonic strife if you're not careful and you can't honestly say you care. You need to let off some steam, after all...

'Calm down!' she says, holding up her palms in a gesture of surrender. You're still very wary, though. Pyrope is nothing if not _infamous_ for her mind games. She comes and sits beside you, and you automatically lean away slightly. You are now nothing if not suspicious. She's not acting normally. No cackling laugh, not sharp-toothed smile... she almost looks awkward. You have the feeling that she'd be avoiding eye-contact if she wasn't already blind and that is just _weird_.

'Gamzee accosted me,' she says. 'And made me feel sort of guilty. Because he's right and you don't deserve the way I've been treating you on top of everything else.' You stare at her, eyes narrowed with distrust, and wait for her to continue.

She sighs deeply and says, 'I was wondering if we could just maybe... I dunno... maybe talk about some things?' She pulls her knees up and hugs them, giving the floor a wry sort of smile, not opening her mouth. 'This is a hundred times more awkward than I thought it would be.'

'What 'things' would these be?' your growl in reply. 'We've been doing enough fucking talking!'

'_No_,' she says, as if talking to a wriggler. 'I mean talking like civilized trolls!' She gives a sort of huff, glowering at the floor. 'I won't be trying to pick at your brain, is what I mean.' You give her a _look_. It's pointless but you do it anyway.

'Yeah, _right_,' you mutter. 'Picking at my thinkpan is all you ever do!'

'I just want to _know_, ok?' she snaps suddenly. 'I want to know if you're black or red or _anything!_ I want to know if maybe your feelings go further than self-hatred and rage! I want to know if maybe there could ever possibly be an _us!_ Not just a 'you' and a 'me'! _And I want to know if you'll grow the fuck up and tell me about it!_' She sounds almost hysterical and for a few seconds all you can do is stare, trying to process what she said, trying to work out if there really _is_ anything to process and you had always known, _always_, but had selfishly pushed it aside like the bastard you are.

'Terezi... I...' You don't know what to say. This is too sudden. And now she looks as if she's about to cry and her lip is fucking _wobbling_ and she's doing that hunched-over thing where she hugs herself as if she's trying to stop herself from falling apart and you've only ever seen her do it once before, right after she'd killed Vriska.

You feel like such a moron. _Of course_ she's upset.

'You know what?' she says, getting up. 'This was a really dumb idea! Forget it ever happened!' She makes a start towards the door, and you can see your chance, whatever chance it's _for_, slipping away way too fast and you have to do something.

You stand up. 'Terezi—' You don't know what to say. You grab her hand. She swivels to face you and oh God there are tears in her eyes and you feel like such a fuckass even though it's as much her fault as it is yours... probably...

She looks as if she can't decide whether to hug you or hit you and you _still_ don't know what to say and

and... well, speaking turns out to be irrelevant actually.

Fuck.

_Fuck_.

Because then you're kissing her. You're kissing her and it's wet and sloppy and nothing _at all_ like how it always is in the movies but... you don't really care. You are kissing Terezi Pyrope. You are _kissing _Terezi Pyrope and god_damn_, is it good.

...Fuck.

* * *

Things I like about Homestuck fanfics: making up names for troll anatomy and objects that haven't already been named in canon.

Shipping stuff begins now.

I should probably also mention that to me, at least, 'shipping' means all four quadrants. Pale and ashen are still ships. So don't expect to see everyone paired off with a flushed partner, though there will be a good few.


	34. Kanaya: Answer troll

Everyone contacts Kanaya for things because Kanaya is the group's lusus (shut up Karkat) and she is the best lusus.

I look up some _strange_ things for my fanfics. To date, this list includes genetic diseases, skin graft scars, and the signs of someone going into a coma.

Due to this chapter, the most recent things is serious head injuries.

* * *

====== Kanaya: Answer troll.

adiosToreador began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

AT: kANAYA?

AT: kANAYA PLEASE ANSWER THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!

GA: Not A Single Comma In That Entire Sentence

GA: This Must Be Serious

GA: What Is The Problem?

AT: vRISKA GOT HURT

AT: aND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!

GA: First Calm Down

There is a pause. You wait twenty seconds before sending your next message.

GA: Are You Calm?

AT: yES I, tHINK SO,

GA: Now Tell Me What Happened

He relays the whole tale to you. A lot of it passes completely over your head, because without most of the background information that he's neglected to include, you can't understand a lot. But you get the general idea, which is enough.

And it's enough to make you worried.

AT: i BANDAGED HER UP RIGHT, i THINK,

AT: bUT SHE WAS HURT, aLREADY, aND SHE HASN'T WOKEN UP!

GA: Yes I Had Gathered

GA: Although I Am Finding It Hard To Believe That It Is As Serious As You Are Making It Out To Be

AT: kANAYA, i THINK

AT: i THINK HER SKULL MIGHT BE, fRACTURED

Oh.

Oh shit.

You're hardly a Medicinerator but you do know that injuries like that are often fatal if not seen to. And while you and Vriska do not see eye-to-eye on most things, you certainly do not want her _dead_. And while you may have abandoned your flushed attractions for her and long since ceased being her moirail, you admit to retaining a slightly soft spot for her compared to other trolls.

So you are now _very_ worried.

GA: What Makes You Think That?

AT: i LOOKED IT UP

AT: tHERE'S A DEPRESSION, iN HER HEAD

AT: aND DON'T YOU THINK, iT WOULD BE QUITE POSSIBLE, aFTER BEING HIT BY A, sTEEL DIAMOND THING, oN A STEEL STICK?

GA: And She Has Yet To Awaken?

AT: yEAH

AT: oR, nO, sHE HASN'T WOKEN UP, yET,

GA: Get Her To Gamzee's Hive

GA: Hopefully You Are Aware Of The Plan By Now And I Assure You That Following It Is Now Even More Crucial Than It Ever Was Before

AT: wHY?

GA: Feferi Revived Eridan

GA: She Should be Able To Do It Again

AT: oK

adiosToreador ceased trolling grimAuxiliatrix [AG]

Tavros: Check on Vriska.

You close you husktop and look to your right, chewing on your lip nervously. You've laid Vriska out on the floor, in the recovery position, as the internet had instructed. You don't know if you did everything right though. There wasn't anything that told you what to do for both a head injury _and _broken ribs. But your tried your best.

You'd planned to wait for her to wake up, so that you could hopefully ask her what to do. You really, _really_ don't think that moving her is a good idea. But if she stays unconscious for much longer then you might have to risk it. And if Kanaya is right then Feferi will be able to heal her... right?

You have your doubts about that. You don't want to because Feferi is so nice and so kind but can she really heal? She never did in the Veil. You yourself have vague snapshots from other timelines in which you _think_ she might've been able to, but they're as hazy as half-forgotten dreams. You can't be sure.

But this could also be her only chance and you don't want her to die, die _again_ because you couldn't act in time to prevent her from getting hurt so bad. You feel as if everything is your fault. You could have stopped her from fighting, forced her to run with you, but you hadn't. Instead you had just watched.

You crouch beside her, gently lifting a strand of hair away from her face... then her eyes open.

You freeze. She just smiles.

'Really screwed up this time... didn't I?' she says, voice faint and wheezy. Her breathing is shallow and you suspect it's because of how much her ribs hurt. 'Fuck,' she continues, shifting slightly and wincing. 'Hurts like a fucking bitch. Help me up.' She begins to push herself up and you awkwardly flutter your hands around her, torn between helping her sit up and pushing her back down. Eventually you just grip her shoulders to steady her and hold her, gingerly, very embarrassed. She so close.

'There're eight of you,' she mumbles. Then she closes her seven-pupil eye. 'Better,' she comments, nodding slightly to herself. She's obviously concussed pretty badly and you really don't know how to deal with that.

'What do I do?' you say, trying to act calm but sounding far more panicky than you'd intended. Vriska's smirk widens and she rolls herself closer to your body, forcing you to adjust your grip.

'Gamzee's 'ive,' she slurs, nestling against you and closing her eyes. 'Qui'ly... 'S m'port'nt.' You can tell she's about to lose consciousness again so you quickly scoop her up, sliding your other arm under her knees and standing. She mumbles something you can't quite make out, before her eyes flutter open again.

'You're cute,' she mumbles, smiling lazily. You feel the treacherous and totally inappropriate blush creep across your cheeks. Vriska gives a wheezy chuckle and closes her eyes once more. This time you think she's passed out again, although whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, you don't know.

So you get going, carrying Vriska from the hive as fast you dare. You have your own steeds, so no borrowing a random hoofbeast from a forest. You'd felt rather guilty doing that, but it had been necessary, so you put it out of your mind.

You don't want think about that time, either.

You summon a full-grown Horsaroni from the stables. You're used to riding without a saddle and you hate having to burden your steeds any more than necessary, but you need a place to put the packs and probably a way of keeping Vriska from falling off, too. So you strap on a saddle, and saddlebags, apologizing to the Horsaroni continuously as you do so. Luckily the beast doesn't really mind, although it is a little uncomfortable.

You really wish your sylladex could hold bigger things. It would be so much more handy...

Vriska's pack is filled mostly with eight balls. You empty the other two packs of a lot things, because it's mostly just food and water and the journey to Gamzee's hive will only take about three hours at most. Probably two is you keep up a good speed. You keep some in but leave most scattered on the ground. The leafcritters and squeakbeasts can have it if they want. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters but the journey ahead.

Then you're up onto the stallion and galloping into the night. Part of you realizes just how much like the movies this is, a hero thundering towards the horizon on his faithful steed, intent on saving the lady in his arms.

But most of you is just scared.

* * *

Cavalreaper = cavalry + reaper  
Ruffiannihilator = ruffian + annihilator  
Medicincinerator = medicine + incinerator

I'm sorry. It was the best I could come up with.

And what Tavros says is true - info regarding the treatment of _multiple_ serious injuries is frustratingly hard to find, even on the internet.

Anon2023 - yes, she is, isn't she? Poor girl. I do love her really, but a lot of this just sort of... happened. Originally she only had one major injury, but that involved her and Tavros adventurin' a lot longer than was convenient for the plot, so I couldn't really use it.

But mostly I wanted to put Vriska in a wheelchair for a while, for the sake of dramatic irony, so yeah.

You may rest assured that nobody will die, but... I guess you could say that there are... incidents...

I'll leave it at that ;]


	35. Equius: Feel intimidated

In which I finally address some of my theories on troll adolescence! Horray!

Meanwhile, in England, it is pouring with rain. What the fuck. It's _July._ Even British weather isn't meant to be this bad.

But it _does_ mean that I have a good excuse to write!

* * *

====== Equius: Feel intimidated.

Gamzee Makara is disconcertingly tall.

Growth spurts are to be expected, obviously. Every troll approaching 8 sweeps of age undergo vast physical changes, mostly involving added height, added muscle, and an increase in bone density and weight.

You have always had a large muscle mass, accountable for the STRONGNESS you value so much, so you doubt to see much of a growth in that department. You sincerely _hope_ that you do not see any growth, either – metal already bends far too easily between your fingers and as much as you like being STRONG, it would be very inconvenient to warp solid steel simply by poking it.

But you have grown, certainly. Shot right up. The faint blue stretch marks on your arms and legs are proof of this. Nepeta has gown too but she's still below your shoulders. Captor, including his horns, barely reaches your neck. Vantas is a bit taller but only reaches to around your chin. You have all grown, but only you have hit the growth spurt stage. You... and Gamzee Makara, by the looks of it.

You yourself can be safely classified as tall, a least compared to most other trolls your age. You stand head and shoulders above everyone else in the room, most of the time.

But you barely make it halfway up Makara's neck, horns included. And although he clearly hasn't started to gain muscle and looks more like he's been vertically stretched than actually increased in height naturally... you cannot forget the _ease_ with which he killed you, and how he mist have killed _Nepeta_, which is far more worrisome, and despite Vantas' assurances that everything is _fine_ now and that Gamzee has never shown any murderous tendencies since that one incident... you are worried.

And very, very intimidated.

The feeling is completely foreign to you. You're used to being sure of yourself, at least as far as physical protection goes. Other things... not so much. _Very_ not so much, in fact... which is one reason why you value your physical capabilities so much. They're one of the few things you have that you can really count on.

Which is why feeling intimidated is even worse than it would be otherwise. You don't think you've ever felt it from another troll before. Things from the game – the monsters, the Black King, even the winged demon – had barely made you bat an eyelid. Somewhat foolish, yes, but it does mean that you have never felt this way before.

You are not enjoying it. You may even be hating it, gosh darn it.

To make matters worse, everyone else is acting so _normally_ and you feel so uncomfortably out of place, but also as if you are the _only_ one even _remotely_ aware of the _sheer peril_ of both trespassing on a Highblood's territory _and_ treating it as if it were your own hive! Even Ampora, one step above Makara on the hemospectrum, is acting as if nothing is wrong. It is thoroughly unnerving.

So you cannot relax. Not even after having a good meal, not even when you and almost everyone else (Vantas and Pyrope have mysteriously disappeared) are crowded into the recreationblock, chatting or arguing or watching the television. Not even with Nepeta is snuggled up close to your on the couch, fingers entwined with yours. If anything it make it worse, because your protective instincts increase tenfold when you're with your moirail.

And with more trolls – all around the same age, all at different stages of adolescence – arriving any ay now, things aren't going to get any better. If anything, they will get much, much worse.

Something is going to happen. It is inevitable.

====== Terezi: Be confused.

Out of all the dumb things you have ever done – which, granted, is quite small – _that_... was probably one of the most stupid.

Or perhaps even _the_ most dumb. It depends on how stupid you think trusting Vriska not to hurt Tavros was. It's debatable. But you refuse to get into it.

Because kissing Karkat Vantas when it's so fucking obvious that _neither_ of you know what your feelings are was definitely, _definitely_ a really stupid thing to do. _Really, really__** stupid**__._ But you'd been completely worn out emotionally and... and then it had sort of... _happened_, you guess. You don't even know which quadrant is was. But it had been good, tongues and everything and even some teeth, until he'd slid his hands under your T-shirt and you'd jumped at the unexpected contact.

The movement seemed to trigger something. He'd jerked away then as is if your lips had burned him. Then stared at you for a few seconds as if you'd just grown another head. Before you could even open your mouth to speak (although you're not sure what you would've said anyway) he was out the door and practically running down the corridor. He hadn't even picked up his husktop.

So here you are, sitting on a pile of blankets, hugging your knees with misery and with no idea about what to do, or what you feel, or what Karkat Vantas feels, or even if it's worth feeling anything anyway because with your and Vantas' track record it'll probably just end in tears anyway.

Being a kid is so fucking confusing and you _really fucking hate_ it. You're more angry than upset, angry at yourself and your feelings and especially angry at Karkat. He's such a dumb wriggler! He flees from romance as if it's something poisonous!

...You wonder if it's anything to do with his blood. The urge to fill all quadrants is normally something instinctively engrained into trolls. It's what allows you to survive. Karkat, however..._ Ugh!_ You think he's acting so immature! You'd thought, quite a while ago, something along the lines of, '_one day I will hit puberty and emit pheromones and wanna kiss other trolls and probably wanna have sex_', and after getting over the initial shock of your Epic Realization, you'd just got on with your life. It was natural. And it's not like no one in your group hadn't thought of filling concupiscent quadrants. It's not as if _Karkat_ hasn't.

But he's still being such an idiot!

_And he claims to be an expert on romance!_

You want to hit him _so damn hard_ right now. And then maybe kiss him again.

...

It appears that your own feelings are as fucked up as his.

Maybe the problem is that he can't decide on which quadrant? You're pretty confused, too. You want to love him and hate him both at the same time... You admit that you didn't count on this. Your Seer of Mind powers can become strangely clouded when you yourself are so confused... and Equius' presence in the hive isn't helping. As you scan the future, nothing major stemming from these decisions comes up. Stuff just... happens.

You don't look for too long because you've discovered, rather unpleasantly, that knowing the outcomes of thoughts and decisions often changes your own, which in turn changes other people's, and therefore warps the futures you have originally Seen. Besides, it gives you a fucking headache.

You want to scream, cry, laugh hysterically, and maybe hate-kiss Karkat all at the same time. _Hormones are so fucking annoying!_ You contemplate breaking Karkat's husktop to get at him, but it's a really low blow and you're better than that. Besides, damage of personal property can be a pretty serious offense.

So instead you just sit there, on a pile of blankets and next to a husktop that still smells so frustratingly of_ Karkat_, and brood.

* * *

I love the way Equius talks XD

Guest - Thanks! It basically means any troll who knows knows about the body and how to heal it, as well as how to use this knowledge in combat. So basically, both a doctor _and_ a surgeon.

I am very mean to Vriska, but I think it will be worth it in the end.


	36. Night: End

This chapter, or the end at least, is the start of some INFORMATION which, now matter how hard I try, will never be quite as interesting as action or drama. It is, sadly, pretty essential to understanding the plot. You have been warned.

I'm not particularly proud of this chapter, but I think that it's acceptable.

* * *

====== Night: End.

Clocks tick. Stuff happens. The night goes by, filled mostly by shitty romcoms and squabbling.

And eventually, the night begins to end and the sun begins to rise.

====== Terezi: Tell us what happens.

That day, everyone sleeps in the sitting room.

It's a strange, unanimous, unspoken decision. When the time comes to sleep, everybody goes around the house, pulling cushions off chairs, and blankets out of closets. Eridan gets the couch because he's still recovering, and the floor of the recreationblock is covered literally from wall to wall with cushions and pillows of every size and almost every shape, leaving not a square inch of carpet visible. Then, everyone finds a place in which to spread themselves, lies down, and attempts to sleep.

Nepeta and Equius sleep close to each other, of course. Aradia, who had arrived not long ago, is lying next to Sollux, gently fiddling with his hair. You try not to focus on them for too long – seeing anything quadrant-related is slightly painful.

Your yourself have deliberately chosen a spot very far away from Karkat.

The day passes quite peacefully, at first. Nobody says anything to break the silence, although you can tell that not everybody is tired enough to sleep, yourself included. But it's good just to rest after the stress of the past few nights. The trolls that do sleep don't seem to have any dayterrors either, which is good. You don't expect it to last long, though...

A little while later, just as you think that you _might_ be slipping into a doze, the clattering of hooves sounds from outside and everyone is suddenly wide awake.

Tavros carries Vriska inside, and for what seems like a very long time everyone is just running around and trying not to panic and not actually getting anything done. And demanding Tavros why the hell he didn't tell them that Vriska was hurt before they arrived. Tavros can't do anything but stammer the beginnings of sentences until Feferi rescues him. She leads him through into the living room and you poke Eridan off the couch because he isn't the one who needs it the most anymore.

Vriska smells of cheap blueberry ice-lollies, the sort that don't have a single real blueberry in them and are overly sweet and have a weird aftertaste, that is even less like real blueberries, and that clings to your tongue for ages afterwards. For Vriska, it's the smell of old blood and bruised flesh. And it feels so wrong to liken it to _her_, the troll who won't let anything put her out of commission, the troll who just _keeps getting up_ and somehow manages to always get stronger in the process.

It's wrong that it isn't like that this time.

====== Feferi: Revive.

It's easier this time, because you have a better idea of what to do, although there's less of a pleasurable rush as you do it, either because Vriska isn't dead or you're not as fond of her as you are of Eridan. It's certainly that last reason which means you don't hug her, although you do smile reassuringly.

You get the feeling that she doesn't see it though, because as soon as she sits up, Tavros practically tackles her back down. For a while they just hug, and everyone else just stares until Vriska, without withdrawing from the hug, gives you all the finger and the message of _'get the fuck out'_ is put across pretty plainly.

Everyone leaves at once, because it doesn't take a genius to tell that _feelings_ are involved in this, and for about a quarter of an hour you just stand rather awkwardly in the kitchen, sipping a glass of water and absently watching Karkat pace, muttering to anyone who'll listen and working up a rage. You're too tired to care. Doing The Lifey Thing again, less than 24 hours after doing it for the first time in sweeps, has left you feeling dizzy and slightly weak at the knees.

When Vriska and Tavros finally enter the room, they're holding hands and both look as if they might've been crying. You don't know what's going on between them but you know it's something big.

Karkat doesn't seem to have any care for feelings, however. He marches straight up to them (you see Tavros flinch), gets right in Vriska's face (her expression instantly hardens) and orders them to tell him what is going on, what happened, and why Vriska arrived as a bloody beaten-up mess.

Tavros very politely asks that Karkat doesn't speak to his moirail in that way.

The resulting silence is incredibly loud.

====== Karkat: Gape.

'You're _what?'_ is the first thing you manage to say after an embarrassingly long time of simply opening and closing your mouth like a fish.

'We're moirails!' Vriska snaps, giving you a hard eight-pupiled glare. You think you preferred her when she was unconscious. 'How many times do have to repeat it? Anyone wanna take bets?' She sounds really pissed off and – oh crap – she's _taller_ than you are and you are suddenly acutely aware that you just yelled at a blueblood. A blueblood who has already committed more murders than her lusus had legs and eyes combined. Oh shit.

'Problem, Karkat?' she says acidly. You gulp and back peddle immediately.

'I just mean it's weird!' you say quickly, trying to justify yourself before you can piss her off any further, 'You go for perigees without contacting _anyone_ and act really fucking cagey and suspicious when you do, turn up here unconscious and with a fucking _dent_ in your _skull,_ and then waltz into a room _holding fucking hands_ with the guy you did _shit_ to and he declares you're moirails!' You pause to take a breath before concluding with, 'what am I _supposed_ to think?'

Vriska looks angry for about a second longer, before she closes her eyes and sighs dramatically. She then pushes past you and goes to sit at the nutrition platform, dragging Tavros with her. Everyone just sort of stares. Yourself included. Staring at her face so hard you nearly miss the glitter of ruby hanging on her chest.

'...So,' Sollux begins, after a pause, '_are_ you going to tell us what the actual _fuck_ is happening?' Vriska heaves an even _more_ dramatic sigh, and pulls out a tube of blue lipstick from her pocket. Girls and makeup. _Honestly..._

'Yeah,' she says, after she's done smearing the blue over her lips. 'But... there are some things I wanna save until Kanaya arrives. I want to tell everyone at once and get it over with.'

'Fair enough,' says Terezi, 'but can you at least tell why you arrived as rather undignified blueberry pulp?'

'That would be _becaaaaaaaause_,' Vriska drawls, 'as hard as it _must_ be for you to believe, I am _not_ completely perfect.' You could almost see those eight As. She really hasn't changed. 'I screwed up,' she says simply. Tavros looks as if he wants to object but Vriska puts her hand on his shoulder, without looking at him, and Tavros closes his mouth.

'The great Marquise Mindfang admits to making a mistake?' Terezi asks, one eyebrow raised. 'Now I _really_ wanna hear your story!'

'Can I at least have a drink, before I say anything else?' Vriska snaps, dropping her cool tones. Terezi's other eyebrow raises. Something is going on between them, and it is frustrating because you have no way of telling _what_. 'Preferably not Faygo,' she says, slightly more softly.

Feferi pours her a glass of water, and Vriska downs over half of it in one go. Sit sits for a moment, staring into her glass, apparently suddenly aware of everyone's gazes upon her. She gives a small, tired sigh, before saying quietly, 'I guess I owe some sort of explanation, huh?'

'Yeah,' you say, trying to salvage some of your dignity and leadership, 'start talking. Starting with why you're wearing my fucking sign.' She takes a breath, holds it for a moment, and then lets it out slowly.

'It started almost five sweeps ago,' she begins, 'the very instant that I died.'

* * *

I had an ice-lolly like that once. The aftertaste was like marzipan. Never bought one of those again.

Pale shipping sort of has to come before flushed, I think. In the case of quite a few trolls, particularly highbloods, they need a moirail to stabilize them before they can move on to black or red. Plus, I get the feeling that it's sort of an easier quadrant to fill than red or black, and while the best moirailships will be serendipitous, they don't always have to be. Pale Eridan/Feferi worked, even if it wasn't particularly healthy. So, basically, expect to see pale come before flushed or pitch in this fic.

Anon2023 - Thank you! I found it surprisingly easy, considering that I don't write him a lot.

My fics mean a lot, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I always need to keep my facts straight XD

Guest - 7H47 W0ULD 83 83C4U5E 71M3 15 4W350M3 8U7 4L50 0F 7H3 3553NC3.

You ask review as a canon troll, I'll reply as an OC.

You wouldn't happen to be the same guy who commented in Morse, would you?


	37. Vriska: Retell epic story

In which we actually find out what is SO, SO WRONG with all this and I consider it a little anticlimactic but still pretty ominous.

This is the promised INFORMATION chapter, or one of them at least . Not everything is here, partly because Kanaya hasn't arrived yet and partly because I'm breaking it down into at least two parts. Don't wanna pull a Kishimoto with explaining stuff and bore all my readers.

* * *

====== Vriska: Retell epic story.

'I don't remember much of the Dream Bubbles,' you say truthfully, still not looking at anyone. Your facade has slipped greatly, but you find yourself far too tired to care. 'But I remember enough. Bits and pieces. Conversations with people, conversations with other versions of_ myself_... those were pretty important, if _really_ freaky.'

'My sign,' Karkat repeats sharply. '_Tell me_.'

'I'm _getting_ there!' you explain, impatiently, looking up briefly to send him a scowl. His eyes are starting to fill with a red brighter than the stone at your breast. It is, in fact, a very good thing that you are here, and not in some ancient shrine or temple or not-tomb. This needs explaining and he has to hear it. 'You need to hear what happened before, or the answer won't make any sense.'

'Whatever...' he mutters, and you keep going.

'I learned stuff,' you say simply, taking a sip of water. You're still really thirsty, but try to hide it. You're not superior to the others anymore. In fact, being weakened by wounds and lengthy travel and not enough sleep, you're _inferior_. That and you haven't seen many of them in a long, long time and you can tell just by looking that they've changed.

Perhaps nearly as much as you have.

'Although I admit that I did spend a long time not doing much of anything,' you continue. 'It was only until our ancestors previous incarnations – _shut up Karkat_ – began to turn up and talk to me that I really started to find out about anything.

'And then I came back. I came back and suddenly, all those selves _were_ me and I could remember both sides of those conversations which was _fucking creepy_. But I knew things couldn't be that simple because they never are. There's a catch. Care to clarify, Sollux?'

You look up at him sharply. He's slightly surprised for a moment, before he quickly collects himself.

'As you all know by now,' he says, in a straight-forward, business-like way, 'we're slated for culling. All for us.' He stops, and shifts his gaze to the floor. 'But it's worse than that,' he says, more quietly.

'How the fuck could it be worse?' Karkat snarls. You can tell he's afraid. His emotions read like a fucking book. 'Or do I not want to know?'

'You don't,' Sollux assured him dryly, 'but you probably should know. You see... there's no way we could ever get off being culled.'

The resulting silence isn't nearly as stunned as you'd expected, you find with mild disappointment, taking another sip of water.

'I'd thought it was like that anyway,' Nepeta says, with slight confusion. You sigh, and begin to kneed your temples. You want to _sleep_, goddammit!

'Terezi, you're the one who knows about law,' you say, not looking up. '_You_ explain.' You can picture her excited smile perfectly. It's all teeth, lips stretched into thin black lines as they're pulled back. It is so perfectly unnerving.

'Sollux sent me the information,' she says, speaking through her grin. 'We're all slated for culling for some reason or another, but it runs deeper than that. Most of the given reasons aren't strictly enough to have us culled. They're arguable. For example, Vriska could easily get off culling by showing that she does indeed have both arms and eyes. A mistake would be assumed to have been made in the records, and it would be passed over. I myself, being able to see without my eyes, could possibly get out of it as well.' She pauses for breath. Nobody else says anything. Everyone is waiting.

'However, this is more to it than that. The reasons given are merely on the surface. It is practically _encoded_ into the records that we are to be culled. And by the time that anyone thinks to check, it'll be all over and too late.'

She rambles on, going over all the clauses and sub-clauses and law shit that doesn't make any sense to you. So instead you just lean your head into Tavros' warm stomach and close your eyes, slipping into a doze while he automatically rubs your back in a way which is somehow both comforting and distracting enough to keep you awake.

'...So basically,' Terezi concludes, 'we are pretty royally screwed.'

_Now_ the silence is stunned.

'Then why the fuck are you still smiling?' Sollux demands, the first to recover. You imagine that Terezi's grin only widens. You are probably right.

'Because I won't let us be culled!' she says, complete with devilish cackle. How she can be so lively is beyond you. Sometimes, like now for instance, you really wish that you could steal energy instead of luck. You could really use some right now.

'I am making a plan,' she says, 'to save all our asses! ...Although admittedly it could still use some work.'

'Understatement of the sweep,' you mutter, twisting your head slightly so that your words aren't lost in Tavros' T-shirt. Terezi gives a sniff and pointedly ignores you.

'That still doesn't explain why you're wearing my fucking sign,' Karkat practically snarls. God, he's not going to shut up until you tell him is he? You sit up, rubbing your eyes, and finish off your water before answering, deriving some amusement but how flushed his face is getting while you force him to wait.

'After I was resurrected,' you say, 'I started to do some metaphorical digging. And some un-metaphorical digging too.' You suppress a shudder at the memory. Your nails were _ruined._ 'And after about half a sweep, I stumbled across the Cult of the Signless,' you pause for dramatic effect. There isn't very much. Everyone is too confused.

Another sigh.

'You don't believe in ancestors, do you Karkat?' you say, then add in a slightly stinging tone, 'even after meeting some of them.'

'Of course I don't!' he growls. 'They're made-up hoofbeastshit that highbloods use to make themselves feel good.'

'Well, they're not,' you snap. 'I have evidence. But that isn't important. What _is_ important is _your_ ancestor and, although it burns my tongue to say it, _you_, Karkat, are extremely important.' He gives you a sarcastic, sceptical, _are you fucking with me?_ sort of look. You reply with one that says, _say anything and I might murder you_.

He does not say anything, which is good.

'The whole bloody story is recorded on my husktop,' you say, putting down your glass. 'You just need to know that your ancestor was known as the Signless, and there is a cult for him. And if you see anyone wearing one of these, then they're probably part of it... or an idiot for picking up and wearing a random necklace they found. But probably a cultist 'cause there aren't many of these around.' Karkat just looks annoyed and confused. You are doing this _so_ well, Serket! Win a medal for explaining stuff!

..._Ugh,_ You are _way_ too tired...

'So you're part of this cult or whatever?' asks Eridan. You glance up, because it's the first thing you've heard him say. His look is calculating, but not hostile, and you take this as a good thing.

'_Yes_,' you reply. 'At least, mostly. I support it's ideals. But I am considered part of it. I...' You falter slightly, before brashly pushing on. 'I guess I'm in it pretty deep.' You don't say that you sort of wish you weren't, because it makes you sound even weaker than you've already made yourself out to be... even if it's true.

'I'm going to 'coon,' you proclaim, standing up. 'Or couch or whatever. I'm too fucking tired for your questioning right now.' You stride form the room. Tavros follows, ready to steady you in case you stumble or just keel over from exhaustion. The door closes behind you and the others can talk as much as they fucking like. You don't care.

You can care after you're not almost collapsing where you stand.

* * *

Sorry if the editing isn't the best, but I'm pretty tired right now. Alert me to any terrible typos. I once managed to leave the 'R' out of 'shirt' in one of my other fics and yeah. So tell me if I've done anything like that.

I'm paranoid that I'm getting Vriska too OOC... I mean the whole point is that she's changed, but... yeah.

zerodwpolkjh - ...I see.

Guest - Thank you! Hopefully you have in this chapter, but hopefully you don't mind =]


	38. Kanaya: Rest

Ok right. On my end, the pairings seem to have pretty much settled. Here is the list of what seems to be happening:

Flushed Eridan/Vriska (the main pairing. Sorry.)  
Flushed Gamzee/Tavros (I'm sorry but I ship PB&J. Live with it.)  
Flushed Sollux/Aradia (pairing doesn't get nearly enough love.)  
Hints/some scenes of flushed Nepeta/Karkat  
Scenes of flushed Karkat/Terezi  
Flushed OCxOC

Pale Eridan/Kanaya  
Pale Vriska/Tavros  
Pale Sollux/Feferi  
Pale Karkat/Gamzee (duh)  
Pale Nepeta/Equius (obviously)

_Possibly_ some ashen VriskaXundecidedXHH because I honestly can't see either of them coming out of it alive without an auspistice. There may also be random characters ducking in to auspisticize temporarily, just to keep the peace.

Black Sollux/Eridan (which I will take longer to get to but still happens. I find writing the balance between Hate and platonic hate difficult.)  
Scenes of black Karkat/Terezi (because they are crazy flippers)

I have decided to scrap black Aradia/Equius because the relationship isn't healthy, in my opinion. Aradia hates Equius, but he doesn't hate her and I love him too much to put him through unrequited flushed feelings _and_ put him into a black relationship just to be with another troll.

**If any unexpected pairings pop up, I will let you know.**

* * *

Kanaya: Rest.

Although you're nowhere near Gamzee's hive yet, you think that enough ground has been covered to allow you a chance to sleep. You sent the poor troll on his way with a jacket as payment and a little less blood that before you two had met, and he seemed content enough to fly homeward, leaving you to find a nice tree in which to settle yourself.

As comfy as that lusus' feathers were, you simply couldn't sleep that high above the ground.

This tree is old and it's branches very thick. It will do brilliantly as a sleeping spot... Or it would, if it came with sopor.

Oh well. A lady never goes anywhere unprepared. You brought sleeping pills which, although nowhere near as effective as sweet, sweet sopor, will be adequate for a few hours.

Doesn't stop your dreams from being _really_ weird, though. Obscure chanting, a crowd of people... and for some reason, a horrible feeling of grief. But it's better than the average horrorterrors you suppose... although you can't say you remember any yourself. Before the game, you only ever dreamed of Prospit...

Just an hour or three. It'll be fine.

Feferi: Fondly regard crustacean.

You can't say you're doing it very fondly, but you watch as Karcrab paces around the table, hands curled into fists, scowling even harder than usual. He's ranting as quietly as he can, which isn't very, and you, Sollux, and Eridan are watching him, but only half-listening.

'...and I don't see _how_ we're supposed to trust her!' he growls, sharply turning on his heel and beginning to circle the table in the other direction. He's almost like a shark. 'She's acting too fucking strange! Trying to act normal or some shit, but there's _definitely_ something wrong!'

'Maybe she reely has changed,' you say, shrugging. 'Maybe she's changed, and she's reely trying to turn over a new reef?' The puns have been coming easier and more frequently not that you aren't so stressed. It's nice. Even if some of the others find them rather annoying.

Karkat swivels to face you.

'Feferi, _come on_,' he says. 'She's _Vriska_. When has she ever done _anything_ that hasn't either ended up badly for someone else, or benefited her? Fuck, usually it's _both!_'

'It's been ower a sweep, Kar,' Eridan muttered tiredly, not looking at Karkat and instead staring blankly at the wall. He looks exhausted. You don't know why he's still up. 'We'we _all_ changed. Or at least, we should'we.' He gives him a pointed look.

'Why're _you_ defending her?' Karkat growls, giving Eridan a glare. 'Oh wait. We all know _you_ hit on anything that _moves_.'

Sollux winces quietly. It was a really low blow and you all know it.

For a moment Eridan seriously looks as if he's going to get up and punch him. _Really_ hard. You can't blame him – Eridan honestly hasn't said even _one_ quadrant-related remark to _anyone_, as far as you know. And everyone's mostly been in the same room together, so you'd think you would've heard by now.

But he doesn't. And Karkat misses the truly murderous glare Eridan gives him because he's already turned around by that point.

'She's a manipulative bitch and you know it! We _all_ know it! We'll all be regretting letting her come through the fucking _door!_ And it'll be Tavros first. You can bet it will be. Poor fuck doesn't even know what he's let himself in for!'

'You planning to actually say any of this to her?' Sollux asks sceptically. Karkat stumbles slightly and begins to pace a little slower. You note absentmindedly that his glare looks as if it should be melting the floor.

'Well... I will!' he says firmly, bare feet squeaking slightly on the tiles as he turns sharply around the corner of the table. 'Once I have a better idea of what she's planning.'

'And if she isn't planning anything?' Karkat rounds on Eridan with an expression of such fury that the sea-troll actually flinches slightly.

'_Of course she's planning something!'_ he barks, thudding his fist into the table, all thoughts of being quiet completely forgotten. 'She's a sly, cold, manipulative, bitchy—' The kitchen door flies open. It bangs against the wall and shudders alarmingly. Everyone jumps. Karkat looks terrified.

Vriska marches up to him. For a moment it looks as if a very loud verbal battle is about to take place, and you ready yourself for the noise. These two have rarely been at it before, but you can't imagine it being pretty.

What happens next is a surprise for everyone involved, but mostly for Karkat.

Vriska slams her knee up between his legs. Karkat doubles over, cursing, nursing the, ahem, point of contact. Then Vriska curls her fingers, draws back her fist... and slams it right between his eyes.

Your leader is on the floor, swearing at the top of his lungs. The open doorway to the kitchen is filled with wary watching trolls. Vriska gives Karkat a solid kick to the ribs before she swivels around and exits through the other door, not quite at a run, going further into the house. You didn't see very clearly but you think...

...You think she might've been crying.

Eridan gets up, and shoots a withering look in Karkat's general direction. Once again, Karkat doesn't see him – he's too busy being curled up on the floor, moaning in agony.

'Well done,' he says to Karkat's writhing form as Gamzee does his best to get him off the floor, and mostly fails. Eridan gets to the door just as Karkat yells,

'_And where the – ow! – fuck are you going?'_ Eridan turns back with a swish of his cape and gives Karkat a disdainful look.

'Because _you_ haven't been saying that sort of thing behind _my_ back?' he replies waspishly, just as Karkat manages to get to his feet, one hand between his legs and the other rubbing his forehead. '_I'm_ probably the one who understands what she's going through the most.' Then he turns, and gives Tavros a more sympathetic look. 'You mind, Taw?'

'I, um, no!' Tavros says, looking slightly startled at being addressed. 'But just, er, get me if she... you know, does, something.' Eridan nods once, then exits. And you are left with very crabby, loudly complaining Karkat and a room full of confusion.

* * *

Feferi's command is a Problem Sleuth reference. Sorry but I couldn't resist XD

I've taken a LOT of liberties with the layout of Gamzee's hive. From what was see of it, he probably only uses the ground floor and has is respiteblock in the place where a normal troll would have a living room. But it isn't like that in this fic. Sorry.

Next follows the scene that surprised me with the appearance of an unconsidered pairing.

Anon-chan212 - ...I sincerely hope you're a troll. Because I honestly thought that nobody could possibly fail to grasp the concept of moirailship quite that badly.


	39. Eridan: Find Vriska

**Please read:**

A wild pairing has appeared!

Sorry.

So, what are your thoughts on Feferi/Equius?

...Now, before you freak out, give it some consideration. They both suffer rejection, they are both highbloods (so Feferi's lifespan compared to Equius' isn't as ridiculously long as it is to Sollux's), they both respect each other, they can both protect each other. 'theNamelessAnon' in the comments section listed a lot of merits. Go check them out if you're not sure.

I'm also hoping to through some more black pairings in, if only temporarily. Hormones are everywhere, guys. Stuff happens. Namely, I'm thinking of some black Vriska/Terezi, because I like the ship and it could work.

And (hopefully) there will be n-drangles. Many, many n-drangles. Or maybe one big one in which everyone in group is linked to each other through relationships OMFG I'd love to be able to do that. But this wasn't originally much of a shipping fic, it just revolved around about three-four main pairings. So I'll try my best.

In other news, this fic has now passed 6K views! Wahoo!

Anyway, you may now read on! This chapter contains the third reason why this fic is M. Try and guess what it is.

* * *

====== Eridan: Find Vriska.

After spending a frustratingly long time searching, you eventually find yourself kneeling outside a small door, leading into a cupboard under a flight of stairs, steeling yourself to knock. You _are_ going to knock. You do not wish to receive a knee to the jewels yourself, and bursting in on her when she's in such a state will be the fastest route to getting one.

So you knock.

Instantly you hear a scuffling sound, and a sniff, and a lot of rustling around. You don't know what's in the cupboard. Probably coats and things by the sound of it. But Vriska is in there so you'll suffer being pressed against bleach bottles and mops if you can at least talk to her.

'_Fuck off, Vantas!'_ she calls from inside, voice muffled by the door and thick with tears. You sigh. This is going to be hard. Why did you decide to do it again? ...Oh yeah, you honestly don't know.

'Not W-Vantas,' you call back, trying not to sound _too_ ridiculous. 'Ampora!' The door opens a crack. One eye, pupil already rimmed with cobalt, peeps out from the darkness.

'What do you _want?_' she mutters, sounding exhausted. 'I'm _tired_, I'm having a fucking _emotional breakdown_, and I just can't fucking _deal_ with your fucking theatrics right now!'

You sigh, rubbing your temples with one hand and slumping down next to the door. 'I think you probably need to talk to someone,' you say tiredly. 'And Taw won't get it. Am I right?' Her eye narrows, but the door does open a little more.

For a while you just look at each other, her gaze suspicious and calculating while you try to keep yours as flat and as honest as possible.

Eventually she sighs and opens the door wider, retreating back inside a little. 'Come in,' she mutters, and then adds dryly, 'make yourself at home.' You crawl in after her, and pull the door to behind you. It's dark and you can sort of see why she chose this place to retreat to – it is small and private and almost cosy, in a way.

You pull off you cape and drape it around her shoulders. It's thin and light, meant for show and not warmth, but you think she'll find it comforting. You hope she will, anyway. You're not 100% sure what you're doing. Then you put your arm around her shoulders and let her collect herself a bit. A part of you wonders if you should be hugging her, but fuck, you're not her moirail and don't have any interest in becoming one. Or becoming _anything_. For once in your life, it isn't anything to do with quadrants.

Although what it is really, you're not quite sure.

'Talk,' you say, giving her arm what you hope is a reassuring squeeze. 'Trust me. You need to.' She sniffs, and leans into you slightly.

'It's so dumb,' she says. 'I guess I just... I just _hoped_ that maybe, after everything, I could somehow make up for all of the _shit_ I've done, to everyone... But now I'm here and nothing's changed!' She chokes back another sob and you put your other arm around her, too.

'But it's not that fucking easy, is it? I'm off spending _weeks_ away from my hive and getting beaten into fucking blueberry pulp and none of you even fucking know about it! And it's so stupid because I thought I knew, I thought I understood what I was getting myself into but I _didn't_ and now I'm here in a hive full of people who _hate_ me and I can't fucking deal with it anymore!'

It all comes like a waterfall after that.

'And I can't even blame anyone because I _have_ done these things! I've got people hurt and people _k-killed_ and only ever done anything for myself!'

'That's not true!' you protest. 'You'we done things for others—'

'_Like what?'_ she shrieks, right in your ear. Ow. 'The only thing I ever did got everyone killed in a different fucking timeline! And when I tried to do it, _it got me killed!'_ She's crying again. Shit.

'Wris—'

'And _Tavros! _I was such a bitch to him I _killed_ him I hurt him so much he spent half the game _asleep!'_

'Wriska—'

'I _hurt_ him so bad he preferred being _dead_ over being _alive_ don't deny it _he fucking told me!_' She's hysterical. Definitely hysterical. You're stuck in a cupboard with a hysterical Vriska Serket and not the faintest clue to what to do about it.

Fuck.

You let her cry herself out for a while, hoping that she'll be able to calm down on her own. You're not good at this. Probably should've made Tavros go...

'Taw doesn't blame you for it,' you say quietly. She gives a small moan.

'He doesn't blame anyone,' she mumbles. 'Or _hate_ anyone. He can't hate.' She swallows thickly. 'He's the main reason I started all this,' she whispers. 'I don't want him to have to die just because of who he is. I don't want _anyone_ to die just because they're not what the fucking _Condesce_ likes.'

'You're flushed for him,' you say softly. It isn't a question. Vriska moans again and buries her face into your ribcage.

'Yes, no... I don't fucking know! My quadrants are even _more_ fucked up than my life! ...But I know he isn't flushed for me. And I'm not even fucking sure myself.'

You are hesitant to ask your next question, but you feel it has to be voiced.

'Is there someone else?'

Her nod is small and hesitant.

'Who?' you press.

'...John,' she says quietly. It takes a moment to click. When it does, it comes with a shock and a flood of realization.

'_Oh_,' you say. '_Oh,_ I... I'm sorry, Wris.'

'Don't be,' she mumbles. 'It's stupid. I'll never even see him again.' She coughs quietly and sniffs again. Then she laughs, softly. The sound is weak and broken.

'Never though _you_ would be the one talking to _me_ about _relationships!_' she says. You smile wryly, although you know she can't see it.

'We'we both done things we regret,' you say. And then, because you've said this much, and she's said so many things to you that she's probably never said to _anyone_ before, you say, 'I remember them ewery day.'

She makes a questioning noise and you sigh.

'Ewery time I sleep,' you say simply, 'I die. Because of how much of an idiot I'we been. Or I just do something which inewitably _leads_ to my death.' You pause... and then decide that, fuck it, you'll just say everything because that is what is going on here.

'My fawourite is killin' Fef an destroyin' the matriorb,' you murmur, 'followed closely by Kan sawin' me in half. Though there're others. I died quite a few times.'

'So that's why you look so tired,' Vriska whispers. You nod.

'I was gettin' by ok with the sopor, an' sleepin' pills Kan recommended,' you say. 'But now I'm here. An' I hawe neither.' She laughs again. It sounds slightly unsteady, but better than before.

'Guess we both screwed up pretty bad, huh?'

'Yeah,' you reply. 'But... Fuck, we got a second chance, right?'

'Right!' she giggles. You chuckle. You both sound a little hysterical and you both know it, probably. You don't really care. The abruptly, she stops. You can feel her breath on your exposed neck.

'...Eridan,' she whispers. And suddenly your proximity to each other is very much the main focus.

The first kiss contains no emotion. It's just desperation for contact, and the physical lust for _somebody, _for _anybody_ that drives it. Not black or red, not _anything..._ But then comes the second and the third and you can feel the passion building, desperate and needy but rising steadily, like a fire. You've never touched like this, not with her, not with _anyone_. The old black quadrant you once filled was for two children, pretending to be adults. Not a touch, and never a kiss. And this is so different from anything you have ever experienced before. It's _warm_.

You need it. You both do, _so badly_. Long-term isolation isn't good for anyone and it has been _so long_ since you have been able to touch another without flinching or freezing because you did something horrible to them once and you are _so_ _scared_ it will happen again if you even go near them. You think it must be something like that for her, too.

Now the T-shirts are off and Vriska's bra is... somewhere not on her body and and you don't even know what your hands are doing. You're too lost in the pleasure of skin against skin and the odd but _wonderful_ feeling that some terrible weight has been lifted. For the first time in ages, you feel relaxed. You almost feel _normal_ for the first time in _sweeps_. It comes so easily, too, bare instinct driving you as you trail your tongue across her skin, wonderfully hot against your own, earning a gasp of pleasure.

You groan as she rubs around the bases of your horns, pressure just right on the sensitive rim where skin meets keratin and you capture her mouth in another kiss. You're just right for each other – right pressure, right speed... right boundaries. T-shirts is where it will end today.

For now, you're content to simply explore her skin.

Eventually it ends. You're on top of her, holding her, both of you wedged between dusty boxes containing old things that probably haven't been used for sweeps. Or maybe even ever. You're both panting slightly and the place where you gill was torn feels sort of tight, but you're ok. She was gentle, and so were you, because you know that what is in your arms right now is a very broken troll.

'I should probably go,' you say softly against her delicate skin. 'They'll be wonderin' where I am. An' if they find up now... _well_...' Her chest vibrates beneath you as she laughs softly. It's a far healthier sound now.

'Yeah,' she says. 'Probably a good idea.' You push yourself up and fumble for you T-shirt. She sits up too and grabs her bra from wherever you flung it. You have managed to locate your T-shirt and somehow get it on backwards. Good thing she can't see.

'What are we now?' she asks quietly.

'We're—' You falter. 'I'm not sure,' you admit. 'But we're somethin'. Or maybe we can _become_ somethin'. I... I like you, Vriska.' It's hard saying her name right. It's hard but you manage it.

'Sounds ok to me,' she replies, and she does sound happy. You've managed to get your T-shirt the right way round now, and rediscovered your cape, so you stand up. The ceiling meets your head hard and you curse, failing to salvage your dignity, while she just laughs.

'You comin'?' you ask, when your horns have stopped throbbing.

'No...' she sighs. 'I need some more time, I think.'

'Fair enough.' Keeping one hand firmly on the rough, splinter-filled ceiling (if that is even what it is), you feel your way over to the door. For reasons somewhat beyond you, there is a doorknob on the inside, meaning that there's no chance of being shut in. You grope around in the dark for a stupidly long time before you find it.

'Bye,' you say lamely.

'Bye,' she says back. Then you open the door and step out. The light is blinding compared to the pitch-black of the cupboard and you stumble out, very ungracefully, closing the door behind you.

...What just happened?

* * *

Vriska wins the Fucked Up Quadrants Award. Hands down. Sorry Sollux.

But the Abused By Author Award isn't quite her's yet. She's in competition with Eridan.

Y'know, if they'd been human, I might've had them actually have sex. But I get the idea that troll sex is a very messy affair and not something you could really pull off in a closet without awkward questions being asked later.

And when I originally wrote this, it was literally just stress relief. And then... I began to get ideas. And when I asked, pretty much everyone supported it. Plus, from what we know of trolls, someone climbing into a cupboard _without_ any form of romantic feelings involved isn't a thing that's very likely to happen, in my opinion.

Also it seems that Eridan does have some form of speech impediment and would stutter his Ws. Welp, screw that. I've already started writing. But in this fic at least, he finds it hard pronouncing Vs, but can if he tries. He just doesn't usually.

ZDW - noted and taken into consideration! Thank you!


	40. Terezi: Locate Eridan

Unless I get a swarm of messages saying how much everyone hates the idea of Equius/Feferi, then it's going in the fic. As is black Vriska/Terezi, and pretty much any others I choose to throw it.

We're doing this. We're making this happen.

* * *

====== Terezi: Locate Eridan.

You are actually trying to find Vriska, but before you can, Eridan comes downstairs from the third floor so you find him instead.

'Hey Mr. Plum jelly,' you say. 'Have you seen Vriska?' It's actually quite obvious that he has but you think you'll play with him a bit first.

'Yeah,' he says, taking the nickname totally in his stride. 'But she wants to be alone for a while.'

'Why?'

'That's her business,' he says loftily.

'And yours!' you cackle. 'From the smell of it!' You step closer and take a nice deep sniff. He's only a bit taller than you so it's easy to get close enough. He's confused and suspicious, yes, but there are other things as well. 'Your lips smell of blueberries,' you explain, with a grin.

'_Fuck!'_ he says, instantly starting to scrub hard at his mouth with his sleeve, while you stand there and laugh.

'So,' you begin slyly, 'you and Vriska?'

'No,' he says firmly, still wiping his mouth. 'It was stress relief. That's all.' Suspicious, you take another few steps closer and sniff carefully at his face. Nice try, Mr. Plum jelly. Can't fool someone who smells emotions! ...But you let it go. For now.

He rubs at his mouth again and says, 'is it gone now? Please tell me it's gone.' You take another sniff. The blueberry is a lot fainter and you think the lipstick probably isn't visible anymore. Probably.

'Probably,' you reply, stepping back because your proximity to him seem to be unnerving him slightly. 'You should probably stop by the nearest bathroom to make sure, though.'

'Great,' he growls. 'Fuckin' fantastic.' You shoot an expression that would have a question mark for a mouth if it was on Trollian. He smells angry at himself and frustrated at what is probably everything in general. So not in a good mood.

'They're gonna make stupid assumptions,' he mutters as an explanation. 'And this group's relationships are messed up enough as it is.'

'Got _that_ right!' you say, more bitterly than you intended. A waft of curiosity comes your way and you quickly change your expression to a balanced mix of innocence and polite confusion. It doesn't do much to deter him, however. Damn. Probably overdid the innocence...

He doesn't press it, though. Somewhat surprising, but ok. You're learning quickly that not everyone here is the same as when you last saw them, which for many was over four sweeps ago. It's strange thinking about it like that. When you all came back, the world you found was almost exactly the same as the one you left. Your bodies were the same as when you left it, too – any physical growth had been reversed.

Although it became quickly clear that mentally you, at least, had changed. Matured. In fact everyone seems to have matured.

...Except Karkat, that is.

But Eridan isn't finished yet.

'Things are only gonna get _worse_,' he says gloomily, leaning back against the wall. 'Elewen pubescent trolls, soon to become twelwe, from literally ewery caste in the hemospectrum, all in the same hiwe together. Imperial drones scheduled to come before the end of the sweep. Hormones an' emotions _ewerywhere_. Shit is going to happen.' He is completely convinced.

'An' now there's all this shit to do with Wris,' he continues. You try not to laugh at his accent as he says her name. 'We're all slated for cullin', there's a fuckin' _cult_ for Kar's ancestor and probably him too, and I _lost_ Ahab's Crosshair's.'

'...Wait what?' You had been in the process of tuning out his rant, but that caught your ear. He aims his moodiness right at you and sends it in a steady stream of thick black treacle. '_That's_ why you're so down? Because you don't have your _gun?_' You find this somewhat hard to believe.

He nods, smelling really, _really_ annoyed. You shake your head in disbelief.

'I'm sorry Eridan but that is just _such_ a highblood thing to do.'

'I wouldn't mind so _much_,' he growls, 'if it wasn't a fuckin'_ legendary weapon _that is probably now in the hands of some fuckin' asshole _idiot_. Or maybe make that _a_ fuckin' asshole idiot.'

'You suspect somebody?' you ask eagerly, stepping closer again. Now _this_ is interesting! He nods, not looking at you.

'There's a dumbass sea dweller who I _swear_ must be fuckin' black for me. If he has it, we're doomed.' He sounds and smells completely convinced. You sigh, and facepalm.

'I thought you were the Prince of Hope?'

'Prince of Hope killed people,' he replies flatly. You wince.

'...Well that wasn't harsh and horrible at all,' you reply, equally as flatly. He does something that is probably rolling his eyes and pushes away from the wall.

'I'm gonna go... I dunno. Bury myself under a pile of blankets or somethin' and try to talk to Kan,' he says, striding passed you.

'She's probably asleep,' you say, slightly warningly. Kanaya has been a lot more crabby since becoming a rainbow drinker. You should know – you spent three years with her. Eridan just shrugs and keeps walking, quite slowly, until you twig that he probably wants you to go away and you quickly stride back down the hall and to the downward stairs. You think you'll give up looking for Vriska for now. She can come down when she's ready.

But when she does, there are some questions she'll have to answer.

====== Nepeta: Update shipping wall.

You miss the one in your cave, and Karkat didn't let Gamzee say that you could start another one on a wall in his hive, so you're having to do it on paper. But that's fine! Because shipping is shipping and shipping is good!

Plus, there's no one around to see the other ships you put down, which if they did would lead to... awkwardness. A lot of it.

You keep meaning to talk to Karkat, to confess _everything_... But every time you never seem to get a chance! There's nearly _always_ someone there, and there's no _way_ you're just gonna say it in front of everyone! Or anyone but him, really.

You also think he might be sort of avoiding you. In the few occasions that you _have_ been alone together, it's only been a few seconds before he noticed and then quickly left or started to do something that involved a lot of other trolls. It's been really disheartening.

But a true huntress never gives up! You will keep on trying until the very day you die...! Ok maybe it won't be that extreme, but when the chance comes, you will seize it with your claws and you will not regret it!

Anyway, back to your chart...

Vriska and Tavros as moirails. Can't say you saw _this_ one coming! Though it seems to be working out pretty well. You draw them holding hands with your paints, and put a large white diamond above them. There! The blue and brown work quite nicely, you think, although there _could_ be better combinations, you guess. Oh well. While you consider color-coordination to be im-paw-tant, it usually doesn't do anything more than add to the aesthetics.

While you're still on the pale quadrant, you drawn Kanaya and Eridan as possible moirails, with a question mark next to the diamond. It _does_ seem to be heading that way, from what you're heard, but you'll have to wait for her to arrive before you can get solid proof.

And now for the confusing mix of Aradia, Sollux and Feferi. It is confusing because both girls are showing both flushed _and_ pale feelings towards Sollux, and he seems to be returning both as well. That and Aradia is definitely doing _something_ with Equius (you'll have to remember to talk to him about that), and Feferi has been showing probably-pale, possibly-flushed leanings towards Eridan, of all people, ever since you arrived and probably ever since she revived him.

So that is actually a mix of Equius, Aradia, Sollux, Feferi and Eridan.

You draw them all out in that order, then put the possible symbols above each of their joined hands, with a lot of question marks. You wouldn't be surprised if some black feelings were mixed in there somewhere too, but they aren't really your thing so you haven't looked into them much. You probably should though... if you're going to get it properly _correct_... You'll come back to that once you're more sure.

_Anyway,_ moving onto the flushed quadrant...

...You don't really know where to start with this. Not because there are too many to write but because there are so many _possible_ pairings that might _just_ have some support but can't be properly vouched for yet.

You admit that you are somewhat stumped when it comes to this quadrant at the moment. You'll probably have to wait a but longer, just to see... The only one that really might _just_ happen possibly maybe is Eridan and Vriska... but that's on the very small basis of how he followed her after she stormed off...

You don't really like the idea of this ship. They're two of the most dangerous trolls, holding the highest body count... but you can't ignore the possibility. They were caliginous once so they already know each other, and flipping does happen a heck of a lot...

You put it down, with a lot of question marks. You can't just _ignore_ it. That wouldn't be good shipping!

...You feel that you can, however, ignore the possibility of Karkat and Terezi. At least for flushed romance. Black, on the other hand... Hmm, it could work! There have been hints already, and it would sure be convenient for you!

And now you're sort of finished. Except you're not. Shipping can be _sooo_ fur-strating! But you love it. You will leave this to dry in a place where hopefully no one will see it, and get back to it later, by which time you should've been able to sniff out some more likely ships!

This is going to be _so much fun!_

* * *

Nepeta's shipping endeavors are gonna be a sort of side-arc, I think XD


	41. Kanaya: Wake

In which Kanaya talks to Eridan in a way that manages to avoid naming his issues and yet still identify them, and the hive receives an unwelcome visitor.

Oh, and Equius/Feferi is pretty much in the fic now. Too late to complain I'm afraid.

* * *

====== Kanaya: Wake.

You rise slowly though the levels of consciousness in a way that is almost relaxing and peaceful. In fact it would be incredibly so, even if you are in the rough arms of a tree rather far away from the ground. But it is not. Because of what you have just awoken from.

The dreams were as fuzzy and indistinct as ever. They made no sense, as per usual. It's really frustrating. You wish you know what it was!

...You guess that you _could_ sleep without the pills, but... you're also... afraid of what you'll see. A part of you, a part that only grows stronger each time you see those fuzzy shapes and colors, hear those strange indistinct words, only grows more afraid of what you might see, of what you _will_ see when you finally pluck up the courage to look properly...

Eridan's message comes as a wonderful distraction.

caligulasAquarium [CA] began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

CA: hey kan

CA: you awwake?

CA: i can come back later if you arent

GA: Hello Eridan

GA: Yes I Am Awake

GA: You Managed To Catch Me At Quite A Convenient Time

CA: cool

CA: so can wwe talk?

GA: What Do You Wish To Talk About?

CA: anythin

CA: just

CA: any random thing

Oh. So it's _that_ kind of conversation. You can work with it, you guess. Actually you can work with it quite well. Talking about something _normal_ is probably the best thing for you right now.

CA: wwhat's the wweather like there?

The only problem being that Eridan tends to make it _too_ normal. As in, so normal it isn't normal anymore.

Oh well. It's still a distraction.

GA: A Little Cooler Than What I Am Accustomed To

GA: But Otherwise Perfectly Hospitable

CA: its quite cool here

CA: wwill you be ok?

GA: I Will Be Perfectly Fine

GA: I Am No Longer A Mere Troll, Eridan

GA: A Slight Change In Temperature Will Do Little To Effect Me

CA: heheh, of course not

You hesitate a moment, before sending your next message. You always tend to get worried when you're talking to him. You _really_ need to speak face-to-face, when you can gauge his mood and emotions from more than the words he puts on the screen.

GA: What Is The Matter, Eridan?

CA: nothin

GA: Really? I Find That Somewhat Hard To Believe

Trying to help Eridan is like playing a sort of game, in which all information is given in hints that you have to figure out. Things are rarely said straight.

That, however, was quite easy to decipher – it's the opposite of the truth.

CA: ok yeah theres somethin wrong

CA: wwhen isnt there?

CA: but can we not talk about it?

CA: tell me your problems for once

CA: please

Ok fine. This is what he wants - a distraction. A distraction form whatever is eating at him now. Perhaps this is the best thing for you, too. Moirailing isn't something that can happen one way, after all...

Even if he refuses to accept is as that (still). Although your discussions have been becoming more in-depth as of late. Maybe it doesn't matter if it isn't defined as a quadrant.

GA: Well, I Had The Strange Dream Again

CA: oh dear

CA: wwas it any clearer?

GA: No

GA: It Was Fuzzy And Faint And Indistinct

GA: And Really Quite Frustrating

CA: maybe you should just let yourself dream it?

Back onto the beaten path... You sometimes wonder why you even bother straying from it.

CA: i knoww youre scared

CA: fuck so am i

CA: but your dreams are really fuckin different to mine

CA: havve you evver died evven once?

GA: Well No

GA: But Somehow

You hesitate a moment because you have never said this before, not even hinted at it. Then your fingers are flying over the keyboard and you've pressed 'enter' before you've even realized the message was finished.

GA: I Fell As If What I Will Experience Will Be So Much Worse Than Dying Could Ever Be

GA: Please Tell Me That You Understand

CA: i do actually

CA: a course theres things worse than dyin

CA: sorry

The word is tacked onto the end in a way that makes you imagine it as a sort of mumble, sincere but... afraid. You don't like it. And it's ironic because before... well, before _everything_, to have Eridan speak to you like this would have been wonderful. Now, the Eridan you want to hear from is the one who irritated you up so much you could hardly stand him. And destroyed the matriorb.

It's so stupid.

GA: It Is Perfectly Alright

GA: I Am Not Angry

GA: Although I Should Get Going Now, If That Is Alright

CA: yeah thats fine

GA: Try To Get Some Sleep

Ok, saying that was a bit risky. It is a pointed hint. But he doesn't seem to be in the sort of mood in which he would get angry or upset, so...

CA: wwhatevver

Seems he's fine with it. Good.

CA: bye

GA: Goodbye

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] ceased trolling caligulasAquarium [CA]

====== Gamzee: Look out of the window.

You are currently in one of the third floor blocks, messing around with some of your old stuff that you'd put in here once and forgotten that you had. Sometimes you just like to wander around your hive and rediscover things. It's quite a nice was to pass the time...

...You had forgotten how far you could see from up here...

It's dusky outside, and the sun is making the sea glitter orangey-red. You can't look at it too long though. You think your eyes have probably suffered from all of the daylight yesterday and you just spent the last half hour rubbing sun lotion into your skin, so no more outside for you.

...But you think you can see someone out there...

...Hang on...

You press your face to the glass. It smudges your paint a bit but whatever, no biggie. You still can't see very well though and ow, it's way too bright. But you're pretty sure you can see someone down there and it doesn't seem to be a troll that you recognize.

Uh oh.

You're back downstairs in record time, much to the surprise of Tavros, Karkat, Sollux and Feferi. You don't know where the others are, but you think they should probably get down here soon...

You scramble over the back of the couch, ignoring Feferi's and Sollux's objections, and peer outside again. Yes definitely a troll out there. Definitely a troll who isn't Kanaya or anyone you recognize. Oh shit. They're walking slowly up and down in front of your hive, as if they're waiting for something.

They probably are.

'The fuck is wrong, Gamzee?' Karkat snaps, in that one tone of angry that means he's worried. You don't look away from the troll who, judging from the clothing and simply because it's the only other sort of troll for miles, is probably a sea dweller.

Oh fuck.

'Stranger outside,' you reply, narrowing your eyes and squinting against the light. You don't remember speaking to any sea dwellers before, but it is possible that the memory was stored in a part of your thinkpan that the sopor wasn't too kind to. You can't say you've fought many either, although there have certainly been near misses.

Karkat is by your side instantly, acting like he can't hear Sollux's very loud complaints as he is once again shoved aside in a very undignified manner. Karkat scans the beach and swears in a way that is almost quiet, which shows that what is happening really is bad news.

'Get everyone down here,' he snaps. 'And tell Eridan that there's a fucking sea dweller outside who's carrying Ahab's Crosshairs.'

* * *

*LE GASP!*

..._anyway_...

I was trying to explore Eridan's and Kanaya's relationship in a bit more depth with the first half. Think I did alright. I sometimes find them a bit difficult to write.

As for the second half... the first OC we meet in person isn't actually anyone we've spoken to before, I'll say that. It's also the closest to action that you'll see for a while. Thought I'd shake thing up a bit. Though I don't actually remember what was going through my mind when I wrote the next chapter, so... Yeah.

There was something else I was going to add but I have completely forgotten it.

ZDW - Sudoku eh? Lol I can see that. Unfortunately, I don't think many of those pairings will happen. But we'll wait and see.


	42. Be the mystery troll

For some reason I really don't feel like writing ANYTHING today. Bluh. Which is annoying because I'm going out this evening and won't be able to write THEN, either. I'm gonna attempt to force-feed myself inspiration, because as soon as I get into it I should be able to write well. But we'll see.

* * *

====== Be the mystery troll.

You cannot be the mystery troll because the mystery troll is a mystery!

_Duuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrr!_

====== Fine, be Karkat instead.

The sea dweller stands outside, calmly waiting for... something. You don't know what. And you don't plan to find out.

Everyone has gathered in the recreationblock, including Vriska who, had come out of seemingly nowhere to join you. No time for questions, though. Everyone is preparing for a fight.

Gamzee tosses a red club in his hand, throwing it with expert ease so that the narrow end lands in his palm no matter how high he tosses it or how many times it spins. He's clutching a green one tightly in his other hand, and his eyes have never left the sea dweller. You know it must be particularly frustrating for him because it's _his_ territory the troll is trespassing on with such ease.

Feferi has her trident in one hand, and Eridan's arm in the other. You know she wants to try diplomacy first but and you're at odds about that. There's no denying that the situation is dangerous. Half of you wants to kill the troll before they have a chance to do _anything_, while the other half is very cautious because they are higher than you and are holding a legendary weapon. There is, however, quite a strong chance that the troll will obey Feferi by default simply because of her blood.

That doesn't do much to make you less nervous, though.

Vriska has her dice in one hand and Tavros clutching the other. He doesn't have his lance for some reason and looks terrified. Vriska looks pale, but ready. You have all faced worse than this and you know it, but for some reason it all feels so much more _real_ than **anything** from the game. This is what trolls do, _trolls_, not kids trying to save their species and create a universe. And there's so set outcome. You know that Terezi has looked long and hard, and will hopefully be able to steer your blundering asses in the right direction, but... that doesn't make it any less nerve-wracking.

Equius stands nervously off to one side, clenching and unclenching his fists. He's a valuable asset and definitely on your side... unless Feferi and Nepeta suddenly decide to switch. Then he'd switch with them. But you won't think about that because _it won't happen_.

You're really relying on numbers, that the sea dweller will take one look at you and leave, but if Eridan is anything to go by then they won't.

And they have a legendary weapon.

Fuck.

You yourself are clutching your _Homes Smell Ya Later_ sickle. You had been slightly surprised to find that most of you have managed to keep something from the game but whatever. Now isn't the time to be thinking about that shit.

The troll outside looks as if they're waiting for you. Which they probably are. Crap. You clear your throat and put on Leader Mode. Or at least, you try to.

'Is everyone fucking ready?' you ask to the room at large. Everyone nods, some more confidently than others. 'Good,' you growl. 'Lets go.'

You have a general plan, of course. You're not going to charge out and engage the troll in mortal combat as soon as you open the door. That would be stupid and look completely ridiculous. Gamzee will go out first and confront him, because it's his hive the bastard is trespassing on. You will be waiting nearby in case Gamzee decides to flip his shit and do a pirouette off the handle. Eridan and Feferi will be next to go out, if necessary. The rest of you will wait to see if everything escalates and if it does, then you will _all_ go out.

It's not the best plan in paradox space but it'll do. Eridan thinks he knows who the troll is and if he's right, then it's someone who values his life more than his pride and should fuck off pretty quickly if things look bad for him.

Hopefully.

Everyone who was sitting stands. You follow Gamzee as he lopes from the block, and stand next to the front door so that you aren't visible from outside when it's opened. Eridan and Feferi stand in the doorway to the recreationblock. Everyone else is somewhere behind them.

God you hope this goes ok.

Gamzee: Confront the fishtroll.

It wasn't until everyone else turned up that you realized just how _tall_ you are.

Karkat had irritably explained to you what you probably should have learned sweeps ago, about how adolescent trolls naturally undergo vast physical changes as they reach maturity. Purple bloods especially, it seems, gain a lot of height. His explanation had been snappish and hurried but you'd got the general idea – you will always be, naturally, about a head taller than almost every other troll with different blood.

Including the sea dweller in front of you.

It is a male, as most of you had guessed and Eridan had predicted. His horns jut up, angled away from the front of his head, before sweeping down to end in little upward hooks. His clothing isn't as extravagant as Eridan's, but it looks specially tailor and his fingers are covered with gold rings and he has thick, jewel-studded bracelets on each wrist.

He's scowling. His teeth are thin and sharp, like needles, and you can see that he's filed his nails into thin points. He looks lean and strong.

You are, quite rightfully, slightly nervous.

But you are also angry. Angry because this fishy bastard is _on your fucking territory_ and his _presence_ is threatening the people closest to you.

'What do you want?' you growl. 'Why the fuck are you here?' He sneers up at you, but you can faintly see the quick throb in his jugular vein and judging by the way he's holding the gun, he has no experience whatsoever with that kind of weapon. He's nervous. _Good_.

'The sea is filled with blood,' he begins. His voice is sharp and sort of choppy. 'And I would _appreciate_ it, if you told me, what the actual fuck happened. The ocean is polluted enough as it is.'

'How's it your business?'

'It's _my_ ocean!' Sweet Mirthful Messiahs, does he sound like Eridan. Jerk-Eridan. Pre-death, hitting-on-everyone Eridan.

'The fuck? 'Course it ain't!' This argument isn't going anywhere...

'And where's Ampora?' the sea troll snaps. That takes you by surprise and for a moment you can only blink. The troll gives a frustrated, impatient sigh. 'I _know_, that you're in cahoots with him. Or whatever,' he snarls.

'Why?' You turn. Eridan is striding across the sand, looking confident as his cape drifts dramatically behind him. 'Here to return _that_, Iolaus?' He nods at Ahab's Crosshairs. You step out of the way as the sea dwellers approach each other. This probably isn't something you should get involved in.

The sea troll meets Eridan with a sneer of barely-disguised hatred, probably not the platonic sort either. 'Nice dual-scar, Dualscar,' he snarls. Eridan doesn't smile. He just gives the troll – Iolaus? – a look that would make a brave man cower, a mix of disdain, disgust, and the 'I wish you would go burn in the sun' sort of hatred. _Platonic_ hatred. Now you _definitely_ don't wanna get involved in this.

'Giwe me my gun,' Eridan says. Iolaus' smirk grows wider. He doesn't move. '_I said_, giwe me. My fuckin'. _Gun_.' He takes a step forward. Iolaus stays where he is, and raises Ahab's Crosshairs. Eridan stops, but he doesn't put up his hands or give any other sign that a legendary weapon is being pointed at him.

'It takes more than an idiot with guts to wield Ahab's Crosshairs, Iolaus,' Eridan growls.

'_You_ did, didn't you?' Iolaus replies smoothly. Eridan looks as if he might strangle him, and you can only see this going very bad, very quickly unless someone does something and you yourself do _not_ want to get caught in the crossfire.

You glance towards the hive. Karkat is peeking out from the doorway. You send a 'help me!' sort of expression in his direction and he nods once, before ducking inside for a moment.

Then Feferi steps onto the sand.

* * *

My God, I can barely even edit this thing. Sorry guys if it isn't up to the usual standard. I'm not even that tired I just feel all... kinda floppy, and in no way keen to use my brain.

ZDW - Thanks! It is much appreciated =]


	43. Feferi: Auspisticize!

Managed to get over my keyboard-block enough to finish chapter 59. I should finish it this evening, though if I miss any more, then I think I might halt the fic until I catch up. I'm still a good 17 chapters ahead, but it used to be 20 and it's disconcerting to see it go down.

Bluh. Still too out of it to do proper notes/editing.

I was gonna say something else but now it's gone *sob*. I really need to stop doing these when it's so late here and I'm so freaking tired.

* * *

====== Feferi: Auspisticize!

This is getting _completely_ ridiculous!

You stride across the sand to where Gamzee is standing, looking helpless, and Eridan appears to be about to commit murder. You resist the urge to roll you eyes. Thank _goodness_ had had the sense to watch because evidently _no one else_ is capable of handling this situation! Karkat would just yell and probably mess things up _even further_ and besides, you doubt that _either_ sea dweller is going to listen to anyone but you.

The new sea dweller looks at you and does a double take. Eridan glances at you and quickly steps away from the other troll. Gamzee gives you a grateful look and you reply with a tight smile and a curt nod. You mean business here.

'Your Highness!' the stranger blurts out, quickly bowing. Eridan looks as if he's about to say something along the lines of 'you should get back inside', so you quickly give him a 'keep quiet' look and he reluctantly obeys. You are in Heiress Apparent mode, and generally expect people to do as you say.

'We all need to settle down here!' you say, crossing your arms. 'You're blowing this way out of proportion!' The stranger opens and closes his mouth like a fish, looking in shock from you, to Eridan, to Gamzee as if he can't believe his eyes.

'He's got _Ahab's Crosshairs_, Fef!' Eridan protests, not in the whiny, _'I-want-my-stuff-back!'_ tone you had been expecting, but actually as if he's making a valid point. Which you guess he is. Surprises come every day!

'I see that,' you reply calmly, 'and he's going to give it back. Aren't you?' You look sharply at the other sea dweller. He's about your height but not nearly as confident. Reluctantly, and very warily, he hands the gun back to Eridan, who takes it as if it's a part of his soul.

'There, that wasn't so hard was it?' You sound, and feel, as if you're talking to a pair of squabbling wrigglers. You turn to the unfamiliar sea dweller, who looks a lot more worried now that he doesn't have a legendary weapon in his hands. 'Thank you, Mr...?'

'Iolaus,' he replies instantly. 'Alfard Iolaus, your Highness.'

'Thank you, Mr. Iolaus,' you say graciously, before adding, more sharply, 'you may leave, now.' The troll named Alfard bows again, uncertainly, and sort of wanders into the sea, with many doubtful backward glances. You wait until he's completely disappeared beneath the waves before you let your shoulders slump.

'...Well _that_ was anticlimactic,' says Eridan. You just shrug. The fact that there _wasn't_ a fight is good, but you can't be bothered to argue right now. 'He's gonna come back though,' Eridan continues, more seriously. You nod, sighing softly. The sun, though low is the sky, is hurting your eyes more than it would in the sea. You want to go back underwater, or at least inside.

'We need to work something out before he does, though,' Eridan continues. 'I mean how it is now, the three of us in a hive doesn't look too suspicious. But if he finds out how many of us there _really_ are...' He leaves it hanging, the point made clear. Three _quadranted_ trolls in the same hive could pass as some sort of arrangement, especially with the drones scheduled to come in a matter of perigees. But so many trolls, from so many castes, is in no way normal.

'Look, can we just go back inside?' you say impatiently, but trying not to sound too whiny. 'The sun is hurting my eyes!'

'Yeah, sure,' Eridan says quickly. Then he looks past you. 'Gam?' You turn. Gamzee is staring, eyes narrowed, at the spot where the sea dweller disappeared. He's still holding his clubs, knuckles pale yellow from gripping them so hard. You think he might be growling, too, but it's lost beneath the waves on the sand.

You quickly beckon to Karkat. He practically sprints towards you.

A few shoosh-paps later, you are all heading back inside, Gamzee still glancing at the ocean and growling every now and again as Karkat tows him, by the hand, back to the hive, swearing constantly about the sun, Juggalo clowns, and sea trolls, all of which you choose to ignore. Your sleeping pattern has been totally messed up and you feel constantly tired. It'll be a while before everything is sorted out again.

The shade of the hive is bliss. You want to curl up on the couch and go back to sleep, but the sun has nearly set so there's not much point. Besides, everyone is staring at you as if they all want to ask a question but don't know whether they should.

'Who was it?' Vriska is the first to break the silence. You reply with the sea dweller's name. She promptly smashes an 8-ball on a small side table, revealing her husktop, and begins to message someone. Or something. You don't really care.

'Fef got rid of him,' Eridan says to the room at large. Your friends relax visibly.

'What was the dispute about?' Equius rumbles from where he has Nepeta curled up on his lap. Eridan answers again, and you are grateful.

'He wanted to know about the Threshecutioners. Didn't get much of an answer though. But I got Ahab's Crosshairs back, so I'm quite happy with it.' He doesn't _sound_ very happy – just cool business-like. But you're glad. Because it means you don't have to think.

Gamzee gives another growl from behind you and you jump, along with a few other people. Gamzee's still looking towards the sea, and, with an exasperated sigh, Karkat begins to tow him further into the hive.

'I'll be back once I've gotten this idiot's Juggalo ass calmed down,' he calls, and you can be assured that that will be the last you hear form either of them for at least an hour. But maybe that's a good thing. Maybe the fewer people there are, the better.

Eridan does all the question-answering, and you quietly sink into an armchair in the corner of the block, listening to the murmur of voices and allowing them to simply become a background hum. You don't mean to fall asleep. But you do.

* * *

...Yeah.

Sorry guys. No ass-kicking in this chapter. Unless you count it as verbal ass-kicking. But there is a reason. Other than the fact that I quite like Alfard.

At any rate, here's some trivia about him: His sign is Hydrus (because I'm unoriginal and am going with start signs for my OCs) and his name is derived from the brightest star of Hydr_a_ (Alphard) and Hercules' charioteer (Iolaus), he has a sea-dragon lusus (go figure), and he was the first OC I came up with for this fic.

I will say this to most of my anons together: thank you, and sorry that it was so anticlimactic and not what half of you were expecting.


	44. Vriska: Talk to cultist contact

Managed to write another chapter today and maintain the get between what I write and what I published. So have chapter 43! =D

Also, I thank everyone very much for not spamming me with hate when there wasn't a fight in the last chapter XD

* * *

====== Vriska: Talk to cultist contact.

agentGuile [AG] began trolling mediatorDeceit [MD]

AG: Hello

MD: ~Hi~!~

MD: ~Is~everything~ok~?~

AG: Yes, actually

AG: Well, it is at the moment.

MD: ~How~so~?~

AG: I am no longer 8leeding to death

AG: That was a close call

MD: ~I'm~glad~that~you're~alright~!~

AG: Thanks

AG: 8ut the danger 8n't over yet

AG: Your 8oyfriend dropped 8y

MD: ~Oh~dear~!~

MD: ~What~did~he~want~?~

AG: I dunno it was something to do with a friend of mine

AG: 8ut he'd picked up said friend's gun.

MD: ~Is~everyone~ok~?~

AG: Yeah

AG: The argument was sorted out and Friend has his gun 8ack now

MD: ~Phew~!~

AG: 8ut he could 8e 8ack soon and well, we're not exactly the most normal 8unch of trolls

MD: ~No~I~guess~not~hehe~!~

AG: 8ut it does mean that we're pro8a8ly quite near each other right now.

AG: May8e we should t8ke advantage of this?

MD: ~MA~~~~YBE~

MD: ~Although~I~will~have~to~ask~HH~and~the~others~

AG: Jegus

AG: You should really stay away from that creep

AG: There is no way he can 8e good for you.

AG: Or anyone

MD: ~Really~he's~not~as~bad~as~you~think~!~

MD: ~He~used~to~be~so~kind~...~

MD: ~And~I'm~SURE~that~he~still~can~be~!~

AG: Harsh experiences change people. We 8oth know that.

AG: He was changed for the worse.

AG: And

AG: I dunno there's just something off a8out him.

AG: Reeeeeeeeally off.

MD: ~Well~I~will~try~my~best~

MD: ~And~I~WILL~help~him~!~

AG: Suit yourself

AG: Just don't come crying to me when it all goes horri8ly wrong

MD: ~Humph~!~

AG: Just have a talk with your 8oyfriend and try to persuade him not to come here again.

AG: Please

MD: ~Of~course~I~will!

MD: ~I~don't~want~anyone~to~get~hurt~!~

AG: I know.

AG: And, no offense, 8ut that's sort of your pro8lem.

MD: ~I~guess~

AG: Anyway I should go now I think Tavvy wants me.

MD: ~ok~!~

agentGuile [AG] ceased trolling mediatorDeceit [MD]

You seriously worry about her sometimes. Her and what damage she could end up doing with the HH guy if she manages to wind him up. Or is used by him. There's seriously something _wrong_ with that guy, something that makes him dangerous.

You look up. Tavros is standing a few feet away, shuffling his feet nervously. He has that expression on his face which means that he wants to ask you something but is afraid to ask. You hate when he does that. You hate it because it reminds you so badly of _why_ he acts like this around you.

'What's up?' you ask, after a few seconds of awkward silence.

'I was, um, wondering if you wanted to, er, talk?' His voice is quiet and he doesn't meet your eyes, and he's twisting the hem of his T-shirt as he always does when he's nervous. He's gonna rip it if he keeps that up...

'Yeah, ok,' you reply, slightly nonplussed, closing your husktop. You are not alone in the room. Sollux, Aradia, Nepeta and Equius are all in here too. And Feferi, although she's asleep. Everyone else is trying not to stare at you.

'Y'know, like... um, a feelings jam?'

''Feelings jam'?' you echo hollowly. He nods.

'It's what, moirails, um, do,' he falteringly explains. You think you're starting to understand what he's getting at, so you stand up.

'Not here,' you say firmly. He nods quickly. 'I know a better place.' He follows you from the room, chewing on his lip. Your not sure where this is going and you're a bit worried. When Tavros acts like this it means that something is on his mind and after everything, you just want him to be happy.

====== Sollux: Seethe quietly in a place where hopefully no one will find you.

For the past few nights, ever since the fiasco with Feferi and Threshecutioners, your life has been little more than an unceasing flow of anxiety, which is punctuated more and more frequently by almost unbearable emotional and _sexual_ frustration.

Maybe it's something to do with smelling and tasting things, because hormones seem to be literally everywhere. You don't think it's just you either – but most of the others have a moirail or _someone_ who they can talk to about it. What was Karkat _thinking,_ sticking everyone in the same hive together?

You wonder how Terezi's faring, if it really is to do with smelling and tasting. You'd talk to her about it if it wouldn't be so unbearably awkward. You... you could really use a moirail. Or a matesprit. Or a... something. Lets just leave it at that, shall we?

Or maybe it's the duality thing. Maybe your problems are literally twice as bad as a normal troll's. Ok, it's been pretty much over and gone since you lost your vision and, consequently, your Vision Twofold. But if it was something you were born with, like your horns, then it could still be a thing. Duality is still somewhat a part of your DNA... maybe it stretches this far...

Fuck.

You're pacing around a large block at the back for Gamzee's hive, waiting for the phase to pass. Because it will, eventually, and then you'll be able to rejoin the others downstairs. Or some of them at least. Sneaking off into the recesses of the hive seems to be quite popular at the moment, and you can't blame anyone because you do it yourself. It helps with a lot of things, although you suspect that a lot of what's going on are actually feelings jams.

One of the main, and most annoying, problems with Troll romance is that the people it applies to must suffer urges from all four quadrants, usually all at the same time. This leads to them being incredibly conflicted and even more unsure of what to do with themselves.

And you thought humans had it bad, huh?

With a huff that's also part growl, you slump onto a cardboard box containing a load of clown posters. Most of the blocks in this hive are used for storage. This is one of them. There are a few that look like dusty recreationblocks but they're downstairs, nearer to the others, so you've been steering clear of those. You're trying to keep away from everyone until this episode passes...

Paradox space must hate you. Just after you'd escaped your bipolar mood-swings, you have to suffer through these twisted balls of (very negative) emotions which are just as bad, if maybe not worse, than when you were at your lowest bipolar-wise. Yay.

'...Sol?'

You freeze, before very slowly twisting around. You know who it is, though – only one person calls you that.

And they are the last person you want to talk to right now.

Eridan is leaning around the door-frame, looking curious but uncertain, as if he's considering just walking away. The prick.

'Waddaya want?' you mutter, sending a glower in his general direction. The room is dim and Eridan isn't actually wearing a lot of colour at the moment, so he's kinda hard to detect.

He shrugs, or at least, you think he does. Too damn difficult to tell. 'Just wondered why you're here,' he says. 'Thought I was alone in wanderin' off into the hiwe and sulkin'.'

'I'm not _sulking!_' you snap, feeling black and white sparks crackling around your horns.

'Oh really?' he replies flatly. You give him one of your finest glares, which probably isn't as effective without your eyes but whatever. It's that bastard's fault.

It has only just occurred to you that the troll who both blinded and half-killed you is standing just outside the room. Huh. You guess it's been such a long time since you've thought about it that it hasn't even crossed your mind until now. You've been sharing a hive with the guy who made you culling bait for nights now and have only just realized it.

...Huh.

You guess it might be because, in all honesty, you don't really mind. It was always going to happen and you had always known that it would. Plus, the voices and much of your duality went away with your eyes, which has certainly improved your life. You guess you've never really had much of a _reason_ to be mad at him. Even though you have every right to be.

But now you're thinking about it again, and some of the stuff you've left buried for sweeps is starting to resurface.

'...Why didn't you kill me?' you think aloud, voice quieter now.

'Huh?' Idiot just sounds bewildered.

You look up, and properly direct the question at Eridan now. 'Why didn't you kill me?'

'Didn't kill you when?' he asks, still sounding confused.

'In the fucking Veil,' you snap. 'You killed KN and FF—' You think you hear him wince, but ignore it, '—like it wasn't anything. Why not me?' He takes a moment to answer, like he's trying to work out how to say it.

'Some stupid ass reason that sounded great at the time,' he says eventually, voice way harsher now. You've hit a sore spot. Yippee. 'I mean, I was... fuck,' he continues, 'I wanted to start some riwalry or whatewer with you. How would killin' you be productiwe?' He stops, and gives a frustrated sigh. 'I was a fuckin' idiot back then. You want me to apologize? 'Cause I can. Fuck. I'm sorry.' He sounds agitated, and you don't think he's looking at you anymore. You wonder what he was doing up here in the first place. He's been acting weird since... well, since you all got back to Alternia.

'Whatever, I'm over that shit,' you say, shrugging. You can't tell if he relaxes or not. Dammit, you need to get closer or something. But you're hardly Terezi so just walking up and sniffing at him doesn't sit all that well with you.

'Why are you up here?' you ask eventually, deciding that it's time to change the subject.

'Awoiding the others,' he mutters, as if it's a confession. 'Too much noise and too many people and Fef seems to be tryin' to attach herself to my fuckin' body or somethin'.' He growls, low in his throat, and you raise an eyebrow.

'I would've thought you'd like that.' He laughs. It's a cold, harsh sound and it throws you off. It's not the sort of sound you'd expect Eridan Ampora to make.

'Yeah, fuckin' ironic ain't it? But now it's just... Oh God I dunno... I guess I'we been alone too long,' he replies, falteringly.

'It's your own fuckin' fault,' you reason, because it is.

'_I know!_' he yells. You blink. Shit, can't say you expected a response like _that_. 'I know it's my fault it's all my own fuckin' fault,' he mutters, more as if he's talking to himself. 'My fuckin' fault it's fuck, fuck, _fuck_... I'm going mad.' Then he's gone, away from the door, and you leap to your feet.

You can hear his feet pounding along the corridor carpet and a door slams just as you poke your head into the corridor. You don't know where he is and you don't think you _want_ to. Fuck, you think he probably _is_ going mad. Well, guess it does explain a few things. Holy Hell.

* * *

I would like to know how someone could flip out, be chainsawed in half, spend years being dead, then be resurrected as if none of it had happened and remain mentally sound.

And then you have Eridan's other problems...

I abuse him so much. And he's currently my favourite character... what is wrong with me?

Thank you to all my wonderful anons~ I'm afraid that I don't have much I could to you individually, but please know that you are very much appreciated =]


	45. Vriska: Feelings Jam

I was able to write today so have a chapter! =D

Though I may not post tomorrow. Most of chapter 61 was actually pre-written lol, so I had less work.

* * *

====== Vriska: Feelings Jam.

You end up back in the closet where you and Eridan... yeah.

Tavros sits nervously on a box, shuffling his metal feet. It's dawned on you by now that this is probably more for his benefit than yours. Or at least, he wants it to be, but if afraid to ask outright. This moirailship is pretty awkward, though you guess it kinda works. You can both read each other pretty well so you can generally work out what the other wants.

You think.

'So, what's eating at you?' you ask. He stiffens. You can't see, but his feet stop shuffling.

'I, um, well... it's kinda... um...' he trails off. You slide closer and feels towards him. You poke at his chest and then find his shoulder.

'You can talk to me,' you say, trying to be encouraging. 'That's what I'm here for, you know.'

'I... thanks,' he says, before taking a breath. 'At the tomb place,' he begins. 'With the... the indigo troll...' You wait patiently while he collects himself. 'I think... I think I killed him,' he says eventually. You blink. This is sorta surprising. You hadn't seen what had happened but you'd assumed the troll had just been knocked aside and then had chosen to abscond, or maybe been knocked unconscious by Tavros' charge.

But not killed.

'Um, ok,' you say. You're not really sure why he's saying this. It doesn't mean all that much. 'So you killed a troll. What—?' Tavros bursts into tears.

_Fuck_.

Well done Serket. Absolutely _brilliant_ job you've done here! Forgetting that the troll next to you is the most sensitive, harmless, innocent _twat_ in the whole of paradox space who couldn't even kill imps for grist is _exactly_ what a good moirail should do! Have a gold star for excellence! Have all of the stars, all of them!

'Fuck, fuck, fuck. Sorry! God, I'm an idiot...' You wrap your arms around him and he buries his face into your shoulder, body wracked with sobs. 'There there, you great squealing wriggler,' you mutter, papping his back. '_Shoooooooosh_. It's _ok_...' He choking out words between the sobs, but you can't properly distinguish them. So you pap him and shoosh him until he's calmed down enough to speak properly before pushing him back and wiping his tears away with your sleeve.

'You did what you had to,' you say soothingly, cupping his face in your hands. 'You saved both of us. No one's gonna blame you.' Meanwhile all you can think about is how, fuck it, this is your fault, like everything, because if you hadn't overestimated yourself or underestimated your opponent so damn much, he wouldn't have to be suffering this. Has Tavros ever cried over something that _wasn't_ your fault? You don't think so. _Sweet Signless_.

'I feel like-like such b-bad person now!' he sobs, trying to duck his head. You don't let him. 'I-I've never... never... never _done_ s-something like that b-before!' You pull him into another hug.

'You're such a weird troll!' you moan. 'Fuck, I should've seen this coming. I am a terrible moirail.'

'No,' he sniffs, shaking his head and managing to whack something over with his horn. You swear they've only gotten bigger since the game... 'I guess, I am, a bit of a weird troll,' he mumbles. 'I guess, most other trolls, out age, would have, already, done something like... that.'

'Yeah, I guess,' you mutter. It's so different for you, obviously. You were raised to kill. You have slaughtered hundreds, maybe even thousands of trolls. It may have been for necessity, but that doesn't make you any less of a murderer.

You hug him even tighter.

'I won't let you kill _anyone_ again,' you growl. 'I promise.' You swallow thickly, because you don't know if you'll be able to keep it. Fuck. So much shit is happening, but so much more is going to. And it could happen at any time.

'Th-thanks.' Tavros shuffles around until one of his horns is over your right shoulder and his face is no longer pressed against your T-shirt. He sounds as if he's smiling. 'Y-you know,' he says, 'the fairy in Pupa Pan, was actually, Pupa's moirail.' It takes a moment for his words to sink in. When they do, you feel colour rise to your face as you blush bright blue.

'Holy shit. Why didn't you _tell_ me?' Yet another screw up on your part. But Tavros just laughs.

'It didn't, matter much, at the time,' he replies. 'But... don't you think, that it's good, that it's like this? That maybe, um, it's _supposed_ to be like this?'

'...You mean like serendipity?' you ask tentatively.

'Well, maybe...' He sounds just as uncertain as you feel. You think for a moment. To be honest, you have barely thought about quadrants _at all_ for almost two sweeps. There have been way more important things to focus on.

But you like the sound of it, and fuck, doesn't look like you've given up hoping for it yet.

'...Yeah. Maybe.'

====== Karkat: Avoid Terezi.

You have been trying. Trying so, _so_ hard and have been doing pretty well, actually... until now.

She has your cornered, she's approaching you, and she's carrying her cane.

Fuck.

'Stop trying to avoid me!' she screeches, waving the cane threateningly. You cower against the wall. 'It's so fucking annoying!'

'L-look!' you begin, feeling sweat run down your face. 'It-it's like... well... fuck.' You have no idea what to say. 'I guess I'm sorry?'

'Not good enough,' she growls. Her cheeks are flushed teal and she's leaking pheromones like a goddamn sponge.

_Double_ fuck.

And of course it's you who has to deal with this. _Of course_. She's fucking _interested_ in you so she's gone and tracked you down with that fucking nose of hers and... and now what's she gonna do?

...Rape you?

What? No! Sexually frustrated or not, she wouldn't stoop _that_ low. This isn't some low-grade, MA, PWP fanfiction. Not that you even know what any of that means. But you know it won't happen.

Having everyone in the same hive was _definitely_ a bad idea. You had forgotten, in one of your moments of Supreme Leader Idiocy, that this incident is a _perfect_ example of when you stick a bunch of un-quadranted adolescent trolls in the same hive together.

'I fucking _hate_ you Karkat Vantas!' she snarls, advancing steadily. Oh shit.

You yourself seem to be a pretty slow developer. Aside from the eyes, you don't think you've shown any signs of hitting puberty at all. Lower caste trolls tend to hit it earlier and you don't know if it's to do with your blood or if you're just an exception, but you don't seem to be going at the normal rate of growth.

Due to this, most of the other trolls are now taller than you.

Including Terezi.

She slams her hand into the wall, right next to your head. You gulp, and take a deep breath, and prepare to yell for Gamzee or, fuck, _anyone_ to come save your miserable ass.

But then Terezi groans and hangs her head, and you feel the danger lessen considerably. Cautiously you wait for her to speak, or move, or just do anything at all. Anything that'll help you work out what the actual fuck is going on.

'I think I'm going insane,' she mumbles.

'You're not,' you say quickly. 'Just hormonal.'

'Same thing isn't it?' ...Ok, you have no answer for that. 'I wasn't actually planning on hurting you, by the way,' she continues, still not looking up. 'For one thing, Gamzee would kill me. I just wanted to see your reaction.'

'Well, I think you saw it pretty well!' God, you sound like a fucking sqeakbeast. You nervously shuffle to the side, trying to slip away, and freeze as she puts her other hand on your shoulder. You look up. So does she. You can practically see the spades in her eyes.

'Kiss me,' she growls.

And so

(fuck)

you do.

...

Again.

* * *

And Tavros gains some Author Abuse point.

The second section was a bit random in my opinion lol. I'm sorta embarrassed by it. And when I was writing it I knew I'd be sorta embarrassed and yet I wrote it anyway. Past-Me is clearly pretty stupid, but don't tell her that.

_Ahem._

While editing this it occurred to me that, the way things are going... this fic may still not be finished even once Homestuck has ended.

O_O

It is a scary prospect...

No replies to anon reviews because I didn't get any! D=


	46. Kanaya: Answer Eridan

I think I'm just gonna keep saying I might not be able to post a chapter tomorrow, because every time I do, I manage to write one.

Lol.

I may not be able to post one on Monday, however, because I am doing this thing and then going out cosplay shopping (never do any other sort now XD) with a friend and so I won't have most of the day.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

====== Kanaya: Answer Eridan.

caligulasAquarium [CA] began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

CA: its official

CA: i am goin insane

GA: Oh Dear

CA: yes

CA: 'oh dear' wwas definitely the reaction i wwas lookin for

CA: i evven took the liberty a putin those speech-claws around it

CA: thanks kan

GA: While Hormones Certainly Do Alter Personality Greatly For Short Bursts, They Do Not Render Anyone Actually Insane, Eridan

CA: the fuck

CA: no

CA: no no no

CA: its got nothin to do wwith that

CA: though that shit is fuckin annoying

CA: but i am actually going insane

CA: kan?

GA: Is Mental Deterioration Not A Common Effect Of Lack Of Sleep, Eridan

GA: ?

CA: fuck

GA: Sleep Will Will Make You Feel Better

GA: I Promise

CA: fuck

CA: i cant

GA: Yes You Can

Ga: And You Will

GA: The Only Question Is Whether You Will Do So Willingly Or Simply Collapse From Exhaustion

GA: Either One Will Happen Sooner Or Later

CA: fuck

CA: how long til you get here?

GA: From A Few Nights To A Few Weeks

GA: It Depends On How Many Lifts I Can Get

GA: But I Doubt I Will Arrive In Time To Help You

GA: If That Is What You Are Getting At

GA: Go The Fuck To Sleep Eridan

CA: im scared kan

GA: As I Had Gathered

GA: But Please

GA: Consider It A Request From Your Moirail?

CA: i

CA: fuck

CA: fine

caligulasAquarium [CA] ceased trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

Wow. He seems to have accepted you at last.

Either that or he was so out of it that he missed your words altogether.

====== Eridan: Go the fuck to sleep.

You don't mean to. You don't even want to. But the cushions are soft and you are mind-numbingly tired and it just sort of... _happens_...

Hopefully you're too tired to dream.

If you're not you don't know what you'll do.

====== Feferi: Wake.

Your sleep was not particularly pleasant.

Even exhausted as you were, your rest was far from peaceful. Your dreams were filled with fuzzy images of blood, the blood of your friends, and ghostly memories of fear and pain. Not as clear as an actual night-horrorterror, but certainly not nice to watch. You expect the worst sort, the sort that comes with a lack of sopor, will start soon. You haven't had many before, but you know that they're chillingly real, so real that you don't believe you're dreaming even after you wake up, sometimes.

You are _not_ looking forward to it.

With a quiet groan, you sit up straight. Your next is stiff and aches dully when you attempt to look to the left. But it isn't unbearable, just annoying. You look around for a clock and then remember that there isn't one. Though you don't think you've been asleep for _too_ long.

Three people are in the room – Gamzee, who is curled up on the couch, watching a romcom Karkat brought with him through half-lidded eyes. Nepeta is furiously streaking paint across a piece of paper you carefully avoid looking at because you think you know what it is. Sollux in on the arm of the couch, making snide remarks about Karkat's taste in film.

You go up to him.

'Can we talk?' you say softly. He looks startled and a little curious, but nods and gets up. He follows you out of the room. You worry at you lip and wonder how to ask if he is or ever was in love with you.

====== Terezi: Get breath back.

The sloppy hate-make out is over. For now. If you can even call it a hate-make out. Fuck.

It had skirted the edge of both, too rough to be red and too gentle to be black. Plus, the all-consuming rage that had been clouding your mind had dissipated almost as soon as your lips had met his. You had both drawn blood, certainly, but not in the sadistic, masochistic that is true blackrom. And yet neither of you had been completely gentle. You hope that Gamzee doesn't mind a little blood in the carpet.

You are as confused as when you first entered the room. But at least you're not as frustrated.

Karkat is slumped against the wall beside you, panting at the same pace and rhythm as yourself. He hasn't said anything since the initial kiss. Neither have you. But now he speaks.

'What are we?' he says quietly, to the floor. You have to think a while before answering.

'Concupiscent,' you say finally. Karkat snorts.

'Like that's much help!' he grumbles. 'I don't think pale or ashen involves kissing!'

'Does it _matter_ what we are?' you ask, slightly exasperated. It's like he can't decide whether he's expert or clueless about this stuff. Sorta like he can't decide where he wants you, actually.

'It does if we're gonna have any chance of surviving the drones,' he replies adamantly.

'...Not anymore it doesn't,' you say, after a short pause.

'Huh?' You face each other at last. Drops of cherry red syrup still leak from where you bit his lip, but he doesn't seem to mind. You're a bit bloody yourself.

You lean towards him.

'If things go how I want them to, which they should,' you say, 'none of us will even have to _meet_ the drones.' Karkat looks incredulous.

'You can't _dodge_ the Imperial Drones, Terezi.'

'Yes you can,' you say, straight away. 'It's hard, but possible. And we have a technology nerd on our side. Plus, I'll be able to guide us.' You give a small smile. 'Nobody has to die for this society's stupid reasons.'

'What're you and Vriska plotting?' he asks suspiciously, scowling at your from behind his hair. It's grown. He should probably cut it before it gets too long and falls all the way over his eyes, like a shaggy backbeast's. Heh. That's quite a funny mental image, actually...

'Something that'll hopefully save everyone's asses,' you reply. 'Though we'll need your help. And Vriska needs to come out of hiding so that she can explain everything.' You pause. 'You should probably apologize to her,' you advise. Karkat _humphs!_ and looks away, but he doesn't say anything else.

You turn your head away. The silence stretches on. Cautiously, you reach down and put your hand on top of his.

His hand twists around, and his fingers link through your own.

* * *

Dammit, I _really_ need to do a make-out aftermath thing from Karkat's POV. In fact I may have but don't remember it lol. This is the problem with have such a big backlog - you forget what you've done and forget to change/add stuff when you edit it.

anon2023 - EVERYWHERE. That is where I am taking them XD But I do know what I'm doing. I'm just trying to squeeze as much quadrant-confusion into the Gamzee's Hive Arc as I can before it's over.

I have no idea how long it will be. But it will be LONG. Probably over 70 chapters. It would be shorter, but to write these things so fast, unless anything particularly spectacular is happening then the chapters are only a little over 1000 words. That is my minimum. I get to 1000 words and then push it over a bit to round it off.

I am afraid that I do not plan on pairing Kanaya with anyone flushed/black because that objective of this fic is not to pair up the whole group. If she was I would just shove her in with Nepeta or someone.

Besides, I am an avid Kanaya/Rose shipper.


	47. Aradia: Talk to Equius

Sorry guys! I was suffering block all day yesterday! D= I'm pretty tired right now but I'm still putting this up. Aren't I nice? =]

* * *

====== Aradia: Talk to Equius.

You are. And it is so very, very awkward. Which seems to be quite a common thing when you're talking to him.

You have been avoiding this sort of thing for a while, and now you think it was probably too long. You don't know what to say. You've never even _thought_ about this unless you absolutely had to. You're regretting it now. If you had some sort of plan, things would be much easier. But you don't.

'What I'm trying to _say_,' you begin again, 'is that... well, a relationship that isn't balanced simply cannot be a healthy one.' Equius is doing that standing-and-staring thing. It's unnerving. But you can read him well enough to know that it's because it doesn't know what to do or say, not because he's completely transfixed by you. _That_ would be creepy.

You sigh before you continue. 'You don't hate me,' you say bluntly. You think he might've actually flinched slightly. 'I know that flipping is normal but it can't be healthy for _either_ of us to switch quadrants simply to suit the other.' You stop and wait. After a moment he nods jerkily. You can see sweat running down his face and his fists are clenched. You can see his eyes but from the angle of his head, he's looking at the floor. You hope he doesn't take this too badly.

'...What of the drones?' he asks eventually.

'I... well,' you stop, then take a breath. 'I would be willing to... aid you, in that department, but... well, from the way things are going... we may not even meet the drones.' Now he's looking at you, startled. He opens his mouth to speak but you cut across him.

'We're all slated to be culled! _You're_ slated to be culled! What difference do the drones make!' You can see his jaw working as he tries to work out what to say.

'You will not speak to me in that manner,' he says eventually. Your heart sinks. 'I respect you as a woman, Miss Megido. You will respect me as a highblooded troll.'

'I thought you were over this,' you say sadly. He doesn't reply immediately. You think he's probably trying very hard not to simply punch a hole in the nearest wall and honestly, you're a little impressed that he hasn't already.

'I believe I need to break something,' he says eventually, very fast, before striding from the room without a backward glance, so fast he's nearly running.

You watch him leave, because you know now that there's nothing you can do. Then, with a sigh, you slump down on the floor, letting your skirt bloom around you for a moment before it settles. You still feel like a child. A child who simply isn't _ready_ for any of this, no matter what your body thinks. You guess that because you died so young, spent all those years as a ghost, simply being used by the spirits, being alive again means you've taken off from where you started. Mentally, you _are_ still a child.

You hope you haven't screwed things up too much.

====== Tavros: Feelings Jam.

The feelings jam is over, really. The atmosphere has lightened a lot, and you aren't crying anymore. Instead, you are recounting epic tales with Vriska. She knows most of yours because she either clouded them or accompanied you, but it's still fun. Apparently, she's been doing those temple-raid things for almost a whole sweep!

But right now, she's talking about FLARPing. You get the feeling she doesn't like to talk about the temples and things very much.

'—And there was _soooooooo_ much treasure! You wouldn't even believe it!' You can't see her, obviously, but you can imagine the way her eyes are shining. 'It was one of my last campaigns before Sgrub, actually! Although, I've never really found a use for all the money I got...' she tails off. 'Say,' she begins again, in a tone that makes you feel slightly nervous. 'When this is over, do you wanna come with me on my exploits? Like, all the time?' The tone isn't persuading, but she sounds like she's steadily forming an idea.

But she's your moirail now and you trust her. Your trip with her had been scary, yes, but you can't say it wasn't exciting. It reminded you so much of the best times in the game, when you and Vriska had come to an agreement and all you did was scamper around LOMAT, finding thousands of boon dollars for you and your team.

'Um, yeah!' you say. 'I think, I would like that, even if it is, a bit scary!'

'Yay!' she says, hugging you. You chuckle nervously, hoping you haven't agreed to something you'll regret. But you don't _think_ you have.

'So, um, are you ready to leave, now?' To be honest you're getting rather tired of the dark.

'If you are,' replies. You nod, then remember she can't see you and make an 'uh-huh' sort of noise. She stands up, and so do you, being very careful of your horns. You think they've grown although you haven't exactly measured them. And although you're not at the growth spurt stage yet, you'll have to talk to Equius about your legs, because your current ones are getting small. Huh. It's weird thinking about it like that. You've gotten so used to them that you no longer think of them as metal attachments. It's like you've always had them.

The light of the hallway is bright compared to the almost pitch-black of the closet, but your eyes quickly adjust. You notice that Vriska keeps her seven-pupil eye closed for a while after her other eye has adjusted. You guess it must be pretty sensitive.

'What now?' you say, once she's opened it. Vriska shrugs.

'Explain more stuff to the others, probably,' she replies, sounding a bit bored now. And you suddenly realized that she hasn't said anything along the lines of 'this is _booooooooring!_' since before you and she arrived at Gamzee's hive.

So much stuff has changed about so many things. Maybe you'll find out more later, but you don't want to press the issue. Moirailship is built around the trust, and you don't want to risk betraying hers'. And not just because you're scared of her, either.

* * *

I'm sorry, Equius and Aradia! I actually love them as a pairing, especially flushed, but that just isn't happening in this fic u_u

But it leads to some more interesting stuff in the next few chapters.

I say that a lot don't I?

But this time it really is close. It may even start next chapter.


	48. Karkat: Watch Movie

WE HAVE SURPASSED 8000 VIEWS PEOPLE! WAHOO!

_**Notice:**__** For now, at least, I am switching to an every-other-day update schedule. This week has been and will be pretty busy for me, and I'm spending most of my time away form the computer. This significantly cuts down on the times I have to write. I may continue to do this after the week is up, too, because I don't wanna have to spend all my time writing this thing and a chapter a day is getting a bit stressful. I don't want it to escalate into unbearable levels so yeah.**_

That's it from me. You may now read on! =]

* * *

====== Karkat: Watch Movie.

You are _trying _to, although it isn't going very well. Equius came downstairs about five minutes ago, clearly not in a good mood, and has done nothing but bitch to Nepeta ever since he arrived. You are trying to shut it out and focus on the goddamn film but when phrases such as 'disrespectful lowbloods' and 'ought to recognize their place' come up, it's kinda hard to ignore.

Because you are a low blood and you are also in the goddamn room.

But what might be worse is how tense Gamzee is getting. You're trying not to focus on that either, but he's sitting on the couch next to you and he's your fucking _moirail_ so how can you not? You keep on hoping that Nepeta will manage to shut Equius up but she's being oddly silent. Maybe the best thing really is to let the sweaty asshole get it all out of his system but to be honest, you don't give a fuck about that.

And it's you who snaps first.

'Equius, shut up,' you bark, barely glancing at him as you speak. His response is instant and totally unexpected.

'You will not tell me what to do, Vantas!' Ok, so apparently he isn't in the mood to get off on your orders. This changes things a bit. You give him your full attention now.

'Yes I will! I'm the fucking leader of this fucking rumpus schoolhive wriggler mess!' He fucking _bristles_ and you get the feeling you've started something you are going to regret. Fuck, he's sweating too.

'You will not use such lewd vocabulary in my presence!' Nepeta's making little worried noises and shooshing gestures with her hands. You both ignore her.

'_Fuck_ you, you limp fronded stooge!' you reply, very sharply and deliberately. You can tell you're going to curse your past self for this later, but Present You doesn't give a flying fuck about that, doesn't give a flying fuck about _anything_.

'Cut it out,' Gamzee growls, before Equius can reply. You both look round at him. He's still staring at the picturebox, but his eyes don't seem to be focused on it. And he's too still, too tense. But the silence stretches on and you think things might be ok now.

'Whatever,' you mutter, turning your attention back to the movie. Damn, you've missed so much...

'Yes, highblood,' Equius says, voice low and quiet. Gamzee freezes, before slowly turning his head.

You do _not _like the look in his eyes.

====== Sollux: Fail at talking to Feferi.

You should probably make 'fail' your new name or something. Shit. You can't do this.

Feferi grips the windowsill tightly, and you think she might be trembling slightly. At least it's light in here. You don't know how it works but, like with normal vision, things tend to be clearer in the light. For you at least, it's probably different for Terezi. But that's beside the point.

The point is that Feferi is addressing something you have been confused about for literally sweeps, and you are failing at responding in a good way.

'I just want to know,' she says quietly, 'if you felt anything for me... _ever_...' You don't know how to answer that because you aren't too sure yourself. 'I mean,' she continues, 'if you were never flushed for me, then that's fine I-I guess...' Please don't be crying. Please, please, please, _please_ don't be crying...

She turns around, and she isn't. Not _yet_, anyway.

'FF, I... Oh, God...' You are pathetically lost for words. It's so dumb. 'I _like_ you, FF,' you eventually manage to force out, words tripping awkwardly over your tongue. 'I like you, but... but I don't know! You're a lovely, sweet wonderful person and I love you but I don't know if I'm _in_ love with you!' You force the words out fast, because you know how so many of them could give completely the wrong impression.

You hope you haven't crushed too much for her. You _do_ love her, yes, but you don't think it's the sort that she wants so badly.

She turns away again. You wait, frozen to the spot, barely even daring to breath.

Then she looks up. She looks up and...

...she's...

...she _smiling?_

Did you smell it wrong? ...No, you don't _think_ so... You don't think it's forced, either, although maybe a bit sad...

You don't think you have ever missed you eyesight so fucking much. Smell simply doesn't make up for it and never will _ever_.

'Are you ok?' you ask, after a few seconds of stunned silence. She nods. You can't smell even a hint of tears. You walks over and you just stand there, mouth open like an idiot, as she cups your face in both of her hands. She smells of the sea, but in a good way, not of fish or anything like that. Faintly salty and... fresh, you think.

'I'm glad you're being honest,' you says, completely sincerely. 'And I hope you're happy. I really hope you are.' She plants a kiss on you cheek before reaching up to her goggles. You don't move, even as she stretches the band over your head and pull the lenses down to cover your eye sockets.

'Kanaya mentioned you wore them,' she says, by way of explanation. 'I think they look good on you!' A light giggle, then she hugs you. You hug her back immediately. It's not tight or close enough to be flushed, or any sort of quadrant, but you know the two of you will always be dear to each other.

You hope that she can be happy, too.

And maybe you can still make her so.

'I don't think flushed would've worked,' you begin, fiddling absently with stands of her hair. It isn't like your hair, or any land dweller's for that matter. It's designed so that water will simply drip right off. That doesn't make it any less tangled, though. 'I mean, I know it's horrible to think about, but you would've outlived me by thousands of sweeps.' You feel her grip tighten slightly around you, and you gently pat her shoulder. 'You need – no, you _deserve_ a matesprit who can be with you for longer.' You pause here, wondering how to phrase what you're trying to say. She waits patiently.

'But that doesn't mean that... pale wouldn't work out better.'

_Now_ it's a quadranted hug. And she's sketching diamonds against your back.

* * *

Told ya it would lead to something.

Now, before anyone starts a 'Karkat isn't a lowblood!' rant, and because I think I should say it anyway, I am putting this here: **I use unreliable narrators****.**

Most of you probably know this already, but there could well be people who don't. So what I am saying is that just because I have a character say/think/do something, doesn't mean that I agree with it or that it's even canon to the fic. They lie to themselves and to others; the withhold information; their opinions don't always match up. We know that Karkat is really self-depreciating and I'm pretty sure that he relates more to lowbloods then to highbloods, _so,_ that is how I am having him be.

Anon2023 - That was not my intention, though it sounds as if you're enjoying it. Hopefully things will smooth out soon enough.  
REALLY? I probably did write it when I was half asleep then. And edit it like that too! XD  
Kanaya is one of my favourite characters. I'm glad you think I'm doing her justice :3


	49. Nepeta: Watch

...Oops.

No, wait, I can explain. I was watching the Olympic ceremony, pretty much all the way to the end and so yeah. By the time it was over, it was already today and way too late to do anything productive (except draw a shitty picture of Eridan) before I had to keel over into my bed. And sleep. For ages. Because I haven't been sleeping very well this whole week.

And this morning I watched the cycling live because the route is really near my house =]

...And then the update happened and all chance of productivity was shattered.

* * *

====== Nepeta: Watch.

You feel completely useless. All you can do is sit there while Gamzee unfolds himself from the couch, getting to his feet, and Equius stiffly, warily, stands up. You hadn't seen this coming, though you know you really should have! You had been prepared to let Equius talk, because you could tell that something had happened between him and another troll, most likely Aradia, that had made him upset and that it was best to let him get it off his chest before you said anything yourself.

But you had sort of forgotten that Karkat and Gamzee were also in the room.

And that Karkat would probably say something.

And that as soon as Equius replied Gamzee would get involved because, well, that's what moirails do – get involved in each others problems because protecting and supporting the other is what they're there for. You would know.

And now Gamzee is advancing, a growl building in his throat, and Equius has moved in front of you and all you can do is watch, trembling, as the scene from your darkest day-terrors plays before you eyes again and the scars across Gamzee's face are painted purple with his blood and his face-paint smudges and smears and he continues to advance, raising is club, and your wrist is broken and Equius is dead he's actually _dead_ and there's nothing you can do now but watch and wait to join him.

It isn't happening. You _know_ it isn't. But it's so much like that time and it feels _so real_...

'Gamzee,' Karkat says warningly, getting to his feet and reaching towards his moirail. Equius shifts slightly, bracing himself, and with a gasp you dig your claws into his leg because you don't want to see what will happen if you don't. You don't want to see something like that ever again.

Then Gamzee backhands Karkat across the face so quickly you barely even see it happen. Karkat staggers backwards onto the couch, eyes wide, completely stunned. A small bead of red trails down from his lip. You understand his shock – someone striking their moirail like that is an almost unthinkable betrayal of trust. You didn't think even Gamzee was capable of it.

And with little more than a twitch, Equius has thrown you off, flung you backwards. You shriek, limbs flailing, left hand whacking into your paint pallet and smearing a rainbow across the dull grey carpet. You're frightened and confused. You want to help but you don't know how, and you're so scared that you're shaking with fear.

You scramble to your feet, just as Gamzee gives Equius a shove that sends him staggering backwards. You've never seen Gamzee so _feral_. It's on a completely different level from when he lost it in The Veil. You don't think he can even speak.

Equius doesn't defend himself, and with a sickening feeling, the information clicks. He aggravated Gamzee on purpose, he _wants_ to be put in his place. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_ Equius! You've been working with him, trying to get him to relinquish his strange dependence on the hemospectrum, and you had been making progress... or at least, you'd _thought_ you had.

You hope it's just that he's overly stressed and only wants this now, but...

But you're so scared for him.

====== Karkat: Reel back in shock.

You cannot believe he just did that.

Never in all the sweeps that you've known him had Gamzee Makara hit you. Even after his breakdown, he's never done anything like it. Not in The Veil, when something was _clearly_ still messing with his brain, making him keep all those bodies and do unthinkable things to them. _Not even_ when you _made_ him quit sopor slime. He has _never_ acted violently towards you. In fact, on the meteor, when he was around you was when he acted the most sane.

You can feel a bruise forming on you cheek and your lip is split pretty badly. Blood pools under your tongue, hot and metallic and _mutated_, and you cannot believe that Gamzee caused it.

Which is why you don't move when you probably should, when Gamzee manages to shove Equius so hard he actually moves. You have pushed Equius before. It was like ramming your hands into a brick wall.

But you do move when Gamzee punches him, in the jaw, and you hear a sick sort of crack and Nepeta gasp and now your blood isn't the only colour flowing. You think Gamzee broke one of Equius' teeth... maybe more...

Gamzee draws his arm back again and you latch onto his elbow like a fucking limpet, swearing and shouting. Nepeta seizes the moment, grabbing hold of Equius' shoulders and trying to pull him back, verbally pleading with him all the while. But Equius has become the fucking brick wall again and _just isn't moving_. Doesn't he _realize_ what this was what got him _killed_ before?

Gamzee acts like you aren't even there, despite the fact that you're pulling his right arm down as hard as you can. You dig your heels into the carpet as he takes another step forward, and Equius doesn't move, and you grab Gamzee's other elbow as he raises his fist again. You must look ridiculous, but you don't give a shit. You're on the verge of fucking _begging_ him to stop and you don't care.

Then, with one smooth, easy movement, he twists out of your grip like it's nothing and turns to face you. His smile is back, but it's cold as ice, the same as the one he wore when he was approaching you with the fucking war hammer, like he could kill you so quickly and not feel anything for it, and you know with every fiber of your being that shooshpaps aren't gonna work this time.

You've only felt this kind of terror once in your life before. And you swore to yourself then that you would never feel it again.

Well, the universe says, _'screw that, have a murderous clown!'_

Instinct is urging you to simply drop where you stand, to and cower and beg at his feet, because he is purple and you're so low you're not even on the fucking spectrum. Or maybe just pass out. Because maybe if you kneel, show him the respect that he deserves, he'll decide that you're not worth killing.

But there must be some bravery (or insanity) still left in you somewhere because you hold your ground, you don't collapse, and you _definitely_ don't pass out. Your friend is still in there, somewhere... hopefully you can find him again before everything goes to hell.

Then he grips the ends of your shoulders and _fuck_, what the actual _fuck_ is he doing, and he picks you up like you're a sack of feathers and lifts you to eye level. Gamzee's tall. It's a long way. He smiles lazily. You just stare.

'Shoosh, my brother,' he murmurs. '_Shoosh_. Just gotta short some shit out with a friend of mine and then we can go get our motherfucking chill on, 'kay?' He doesn't look at the blood or even register the fear so plainly displayed on your face. Just smiles like everything is totally fine, like _you're_ the one acting weird, and you've never been reminded so forcefully or horribly _just how wrecked_ his thinkpan is.

He sets you back on your feet and gives you a little push. Your knees hit the edge of the couch and just give out. You're still in fucking Submission Mode, feeling like you're staring death in the fucking face, and you can only watch as Gamzee, _your fucking moirail_, advances once more on the two people that _he killed once_, and growls.

You have never felt so useless in your life.

* * *

This is, like... the first sub-arc that is actually running all the way through, without little extras and being interrupted by other arcs. Huh.

ZDW - That is the idea ;]

**The update. My God, the update. I see many, many fic-related theories being blown out of the water pretty damn soon. Then this will probably become an actual AU, rather than a continuation (which is what I've been trying to maintain). Got any thoughts/theories? I do, and I'm happy to discuss!**

**Review?  
**


	50. Vriska: Observe fight

Whoo, here we go!

Do I have news... um... Well, it's my birthday this Thursday! And I am getting a crested gecko, among other things.

And if it is a girl then _of course_ I am calling her Casey =]

* * *

====== Vriska: Observe fight.

You stop in the recreationblock doorway, and stare. Tavros stands behind you, mouth agape in show. You're pretty surprised yourself. You'd heard the fight form upstairs but hadn't been able to tell who it involved. Plus, you'd _thought_ that they'd be _passed_ this sort of thing.

Though you guess you should've known. It was only a matter of time.

But perhaps even more astounding is Karkat's and Nepeta's reactions. Or rather, their lack of. Nepeta is crouched against the wall, hissing and looking scared out of her mind, and Karkat is slumped on the couch, his mouth slightly open, staring as his moirail enters a fight with the strongest troll you know. It would be sort of funny if you couldn't see how the situation could go very bad, very quickly, and get you and Tavvy involved too.

Then you notice the blood on his face. Did he try to intervene already and get hit or something?

Then Gamzee takes a swing and there's the smack of fist against skin. Karkat isn't the only one bleeding at the mouth and all regard for him just goes completely out the window. Because Equius doesn't _do_ anything – either to retreat or defend himself. He just stands there, jaw locked, fists clenched, and you've known him long enough to realize, slowly, that he's in one of his stupid hemospectrum moods, the sort that would make him jump off a cliff or amputate his own legs if someone higher than him ordered it.

_God_ he's an _idiot..._

Tavros makes a little worried sound from behind you and that does it.

'_Fucking hell_, Equius!' you yell. '_Defend_ yourself!'

'What's happening _now?_' someone moans. Feferi has appeared in the other doorway, towing Sollux by the wrist. He's also wearing her goggles but you choose not to comment. Now isn't the time for pointed remarks, no matter how much someone wants to drop one.

'Equius is submitting to a highblood,' you reply, dryly, taking a step forward into the room. No one's moirail seems to be doing anything but _someone_ has to.

Just don't let it become an ashen thing and you'll be fine.

'Do not intervene, Vriska!' Equius orders, just before receiving a punch to the stomach that doubles him over. You stop and cross your arms while he pants and gasps for breath.

'Well, you're gaining an audience,' you say pointedly, which is true – everyone has gathered, either behind you or in the other doorway. In fact you think that pretty much everyone is here except for Eridan and Aradia.

'Karkat!' Terezi calls from behind you, 'don't just _sit_ there!' Karkat doesn't move. Gamzee chooses this moment to shove Equius backwards until he hits the wall. Nepeta scrambles away, unnoticed by either of them, and suddenly everyone is talking at once, ordering or advising or just making snide comments of some sort about placing bets and popping grubcorn.

But no one seems keen on coming any further into the room.

You begin weighing up your chances. If everyone not directly involved (so that's... seven, including Eridan and Aradia and five not including them) all tried at once, it _should_ be possible to pull Gamzee off of Equius without getting too caught up in everything. You sure as _fuck_ aren't gonna try anything on your own though. You've gotten hurt enough times already, thanks.

But then, suddenly, before you can so much as blink... Equius has punched Gamzee _hard_, literally right between the eyes. You think you heard a muted _crack_ and now purple blood is dripping fast onto the floor.

Everyone stares, suddenly silent, as Gamzee staggers backwards, looses his balance... and crashes onto the floor.

...Can't say you saw _that_ coming.

====== Karkat: Stop sitting there and DO something!

Gamzee falls with a crash that shakes the floor and breaks you from you stupor with a jolt. You slide down to kneel beside him because _fuck_, one hit from Equius would be enough _kill_ the average troll.

Luckily, Gamzee isn't the average troll. He rolls onto his side with a groan, both hands at his nose and purple trickling onto the carpet. His eyes flutter open and you can tell instantly that whatever fucked-up mental state he was in has been efficiently broken by the blow. Thank God.

'Karbro?' he mumbles, before groaning again and pushing himself up. You tug him to his feet and drag him towards the nearest door, intent on getting him to the ablutionblock as quickly as possible. Out of the corner of your eye you can see Nepeta tugging on Equius' sweat-soaked T-shirt, probably attempting the same thing. Well, she had better not take him to the same fucking ablutionblock!

Sollux and Feferi squeeze themselves out of the way as you pass, but you don't even look at them. You don't think Sollux will ever let you forget this. Sweet troll Jegus.

You reach the ablutionblock and bolt the door behind you, shoving Gamzee down on the closed 'gaper lid. He mutters curses as he gingerly pokes at his bloody nose, and you bat his hands away so that you can get a better look.

The break is clean and the bone hasn't been displaced much. But you're hardly an expert at setting noses and a break is still a break. He'll need ice, quickly, before it swells up too much. And for course that means leaving the room and shit. Great. You think there's a dispenser connected to his thermal hull and that'll do, although a proper icepack is what's really needed.

'Stay here,' you order, straightening up. Pain laces through your cheek and jaw and _ow_, you'll need some ice too. You'd almost forgotten he'd done that. 'And for God's sake, lock the door behind me.' Gamzee nods silently, trying to stop blood from dripping on his T-shirt. It's a bit of a lost cause but whatever, if it keeps him busy then it's fine.

God, it's like being back on the meteor again, when Kanaya was out for his blood and you had to keep on spending about half an hour just making sure that nobody was following you every time you went to see him. While you doubt that anyone's gonna actually try t murder him, things are gonna be tense for a while. You might lead him upstairs and make him stay in that weird tower thing his hive has for a while...

Nepeta and Equius are in the kitchen. The audience has dispersed and they're the only ones there. Nepeta is fussing while Equius sits at the eating platform with _two_ dishcloths of ice pressed to either side of his jaw. His expression is almost completely blank and his shades hide his eyes. You don't think he even looks at you.

You're tempted to ask what that was all about, because _fuck_ if you have any goddamn clue, but you don't think it's safe yet. You stay silent and move as quietly as possible. Nepeta gives you a small smile as you fill a cup with ice cubes and you nod in reply. Then it's back to the ablutionblock... and Gamzee.

He hasn't locked the door. In fact you don't think he's moved at all. But his nose has stopped bleeding and although the swelling has started, the break probably isn't as bad as you'd thought. It might just be a fracture actually.

You grab a face cloth, pour half of the ice onto it, fold the fabric around it and crush it down a bit, because hard lumps will be painful and probably only make things worse. Then you do the same but for yourself because your cheek is starting to throb and _ow_. You offer the other one to Gamzee, who just stares at it until you, with an exasperated sigh, press it into his face and make him hold it there.

You sit on the edge of the trap for a while, holding the ice until your cheek goes numb. Then you get up to check on Gamzee and make him sit still, which isn't very easy, while you press your fingers to either side of his nose and shift it around a bit until you think it's probably in the right place again. You're sure there's a better way to do this but it works. Then you put the ice back.

Gamzee still hasn't said anything but, as you move to step away, his arm reaches up and pull you back towards him. He's so gently you can barely feel him. And you place your hands onto the back of his head, threading your fingers into his tangled hair, and sigh.

'It's ok,' you grumble. 'I'm sure there was a perfectly good reason for everything. You can tell me later.' On the inside, you're mentally tearing yourself up because you _know_ that you could've prevented this _so_ easily. All you would've had to do was walk Gamzee out of the room and sit or cuddle or whatever with him until he calmed down. But instead, you had put your own pride first and _three_ other trolls had paid the price, as well as yourself.

He doesn't say anything, although he does tighten his grip a little. And for what feels like a long time, the two of your just stay there.

You begin to think a bit, about the fight, in the silence. You're both a lot calmer now so it's easier to figure out what was happening: Gamzee's strikes were measured. And while he could have simply pummeled Equius into the ground, he paused between hits. It had looked more like a fucked-up test of some sort...

You will talk to Gamzee about this as soon as he is stable enough because _fuck_ does this shit need sorting out.

* * *

I did actually look up how to set a broken nose, mainly so that I could have Karkat get it mostly wrong.

BTW, I think I read somewhere that in America, the word 'quite' is used in the same way as 'totally'? In (modern) English it's used to mean 'fairly' or 'a bit'. Could someone clarify this for me? I don't want to be giving the wrong impression in my writing,

Review? =]


	51. Eridan: Wake

_**My birthday is tomorrow!  
**_

_**JDEJHSJAWHDAO!**_

Ahem.

Another little look into Eridan's mind in this chappie, focusing a bit on his relationship with Feferi. If you look closely you can see how I used this to retcon pairing them.

BTW, this is happening just after the Gamzee Vs Equius fiasco.

Enjoy!

* * *

====== Eridan: Wake.

You wrench yourself from sleep with a gasp, shaking, and gradually feeling calm return as you convince your body that it's ok, it was only a dream, and that you're still alive. You've slumped sideways onto the couch and you hastily right yourself, hands automatically going to your hair.

As you had expected, the terrors have left you soaked in cold sweat and almost as tired as you were before you went to sleep. To make matters worse, another experience—

—_gills burning, mouth filled with blood, struggling to breathe but you **can't** you're **suffocating** on your own fucking blood— _

—has been added to the list. You can't have been out for very long.

But you guess you do feel a _little_ better. Though you're in a pretty bad mood. But so long as nobody disturbs you, you should be alright.

Then there's a knock on the door.

...Paradox space really does hate you doesn't it?

'Who is it?' you ask warily, instantly smoothing back your hair again and wiping the sweat from your face. You think you might still have a shred of dignity left and wish to keep it if you do. Appearing in from of _anyone_ whilst you are still shaking in the aftermath of a daymare is no way to do so.

'Me!' replies Feferi. Yes, you are pretty sure that it's Feferi. Which you guess isn't _too_ bad, even if she's been annoyingly clingy ever since... yeah. 'Can I come in?'

'If you want.' The door handle turns, and you give up on trying to right your appearance. You'll look wrecked no matter what you do. You really need to remember to sort of your fuckin' hair because it's still stiff with salt and looks anything but styled.

Feferi comes in, smiling, and sits down on the couch next to you. She positions herself daintily – straight-backed, both feet on the floor, and tugs her skirt-thing down to cover herself properly. She isn't wearing her goggles. You remember focusing so much attention on her, once. Every movement, every detail, you swept it all up, treasured it in your memory. Now you still do it, but mostly because it's something you have always done. Old habits die hard, you guess.

'Have you been up here all this time?' she gushes, like a fresh-flowing stream. You nod and she continues. 'Well, you've missed quite a lot!' She rambles on, and you just let it wash over you. The sound of her voice is soothing, and a nice way of focusing yourself on the _real_ world, the world where you aren't permanently killing or dying or—

—_gills burning, mouth filled with blood, struggling to breathe but you **can't** you're **suffocating** on your own fucking blood—_

—anything like that.

Something to do with Sollux. They're moirails now. You're happy for her, you guess – although you'd expected them to be matesprits. A part of you is almost irritated – _why_ is she telling you these things? What do you mean to her? You shouldn't mean _anything_ – but mostly it's just... nice.

Abruptly she stops. You hadn't been paying attention to her words but you noticed when the flow of her voice ceases. You focus on her again, and it occurs to you that your expression had probably glazed over. You're still so tired. And now she's looking worried, and it's as if she's only just begun to properly see you. Her gaze flickers from your eyes to the shadows beneath them, then zigzags across the pale skin of your face and the crooked scar. Her eyes linger a moment on your hollow cheeks before slipping down to your clenched fists. Lastly, she takes in the disaster that is your hair. She looks like a medicincinerator inspecting a patient and _you don't like it_.

You know you look terrible. She doesn't have to be _that_ obvious about it.

'Are you alright, Eridan?' she asks softly. You're tempted to say something like 'do I _look_ ok?' or 'well, what do _you_ think?'. You're becoming agitated again, but you manage to say neither of those things.

'Yeah, just tired,' you mumble instead, avoiding looking in her eyes and instead choosing to focus on her tiara.

'Oh,' she says, still studying you carefully. You keep your face carefully blank. She was never particularly good at reading you, even when you were moirails. You doubt anything has changed in that department. And you _hope_ that it hasn't, too.

Then the words are gushing from her mouth again, and you aren't finding it very pleasant now because everything is about _you_, and you mostly want to be left alone right now.

'Oh, of course!' she says. 'I guess you've had a rough few nights, huh? How's your gill? I can have another go healing it if you want!' Her hands flash towards your T-shirt and—

—_gills burning, mouth filled with blood, struggling to breathe but you **can't** you're **suffocating** on your own fucking blood—_

—you find suddenly that you don't want her there you don't want her anywhere _near_ you it's not _safe_ she's _higher_ than you don't let her fucking _touch_ you!

You swipe at her hands just before they reach you. One of your ragged nails catches at her skin, raising a pink line and a few beads of fuchsia. She goes still. You freeze, staring at her blood.

'Eridan?' she says softly. You feel sick. You hadn't meant to hurt her, hadn't _meant_ to do _anything_. And now all you can think about is wet, liquid fuchsia. 'Eridan, I'm fine. It's only a scratch!' She reaches again, upwards, probably to cup your face or something but you don't let her that far. Using the pads of your fingers this time, you push her away again, trying to be more gentle. But you're starting to panic and moving smoothly just isn't happening.

'Stop _smothering_ me!' you manage to choke out, staggering off the couch and to your feet. She looks surprised and upset but you just cannot _deal_ with her right now. You know she means well and wants to help but she _isn't_ and she _can't_.

'Eridan!' she whispers, shocked. 'What ever is the matter?' You grit your teeth and look away.

'I'm sorry.' Speaking normally is hard. Your throat feels tight and if you're not careful you'll end up sounding like a fucking dolphin. 'I'm sorry, I just— I can't—' You abscond before she can say another word. Out of the room, towards the stairs, getting at far away from anyone as you can. Shit. You can't do anything right. You end up locking yourself in the goddamn tower, which you don't think anyone has even set foot in for sweeps. Good. You climb the staircase, running all the way, before the stairs run out and you sink to the floor beside the window, face pressed against the cool glass.

Then you take as deep a breath as you can and pull out your husktop. You need Kanaya. If anyone can sort out this shit, she can. In fact she's probably the only one.

* * *

Eridan is the sort of character that I refer to as an 'angst-magnet'.

Should be pretty self-explanatory.

Don't THINK I have any other news or explenations...

Review?


	52. Nepeta: Tread Carefully

Here it is, the missing chapter! What I did there was stupid, and probably the result of leaving it so late to do these things. You see, I like to have written a whole chapter before I post one, so it's usually left very late in the evening, by which time I have managed to tire myself out. Sorry about all the confusion.

* * *

Nepeta: Tread carefully.

Karkat tows Gamzee into the nutritionblock about an hour later, Band-Aid on one cheek and familiar scowl in place. But he looks determined, like he means business, and it makes you feel nervous. Which you don't like because he's _Karkitty_ and he shouldn't make you feel like that.

Gamzee is very subdued. His smile is gone and he never lifts his gaze from the floor. There's a Band-Aid across the bridge of his nose and the skin there is bruised purple and looks a bit swollen, but it isn't serious. You wonder if he regrets all of his actions or just hitting Karkat. More likely the latter, from what you know of him.

Karkat shoves him down in a chair on the opposite end of the table to Equius, and crosses his arms. You nervously go and stand by your moirail.

Karkat looks from one troll to the other for a few seconds, apparently waiting for someone to say something. Then he sighs.

'Oh, pipe down you two. I can't hear myself think,' he says flatly, rolling his eyes. He pulls out a chair and slumps. He waits a moment. Then kicks Gamzee from under the table and replies the questioning glance with a hard stare.

Gamzee slowly rolls his head round to look at Equius. You see your moirail tense and quickly put a hand on his shoulder. Even though you know now that you can't do anything to stop him if he really does want to act. You've never felt this powerless around him before. It's not a nice feeling. It's the first thing you can remember that has really threatened your moirailship with Equius.

''M sorry,' Gamzee mumbles, before looking down at the table again. Equius sits stiffly and doesn't do or say anything. Karkat gives you a meaningful look. You reply with one of confusion. He nods at Equius. You think you understand and gently poke your moirail meaningfully. Equius sill doesn't do anything. With a frustrated sigh that is also part growl, Karkat _thunks_ his head onto the table.

'It is official,' he growls. 'I am the group's lusus. You two are squabbling wrigglers who have somehow come under my care. Now apologize!' Equius' cheeks are tinged slightly blue from embarrassment. You lean down and put your mouth next to his ear, because he'll probably appreciate it if no one else hears this.

'The longer you wait the worse it will get,' you whisper. Equius appears to be struggling with himself and beads of sweat break out across his skin. After a few very awkward seconds, Equius focuses his gaze on Gamzee and says, stiffly,

'Apology accepted, highblood. I apologize also for my disrespectful behavior.' You hold back a wince, because a simple 'I apologize' would've been fine, and he always has to overdo everything, but Karkat looks satisfied and Gamzee nods sulkily so you let it go.

'Good!' Karkat declares, getting to his feet and tugging Gamzee up with him. 'I still have _no fucking idea_ what all that shit was about, but if it happens again, I will do something terrible that everyone will regret except me. Probably. Now quite sulking and do something useful.

They leave, Karkat muttering angry words beneath his breath and Gamzee dragging his feet a little. Equius abruptly gets to his feet. Without really thinking you clamber onto his back.

'Get down, Nepeta,' he sighs. You tighten your grip.

'No,' you say, 'it's nice up here.' The muscles on his back ripple as he shrugs, almost throwing you off unintentionally. You mew in displeasure but he ignores you. 'Just mind you head when we go through doorways.'

And that seems to be the end of that. Hopefully.

====== Vriska: Argue with HH.

Here we go again...

heraldingHoras [HH] began trolling agentGuile [AG]

HH: 1 JU57 D0N'7 533 WHY 1 SH0ULDN'7 83 48L3 2 5P34K 2 H1M

HH: IF H3 R34LLY /15/ 7H3 FUCK1N6 53C0ND C0M1N6

HH: 45 Y0U C0N71NU3 2 1N5I57

HH: 7H3N W0ULDN'7 H3 83 6L4D 2 M337 4 FUCK1N6 D151PL3?

AG: 8gh!

AG: We h8ve been through th8s 8ef8re HH!

AG: He doesn't even KN8W that he's the Second Coming y8t!

AG: It'll t8ke time to expl8ine and he won't even accept it 8t first!

AG: I kn8w this guy

AG: He is often an idi8t

AG: And wh8le we h8ve 8ll seen and d8ne s8me pr8tty cr8zy sh8t, his stup8d self-d8prici8tion means th8t he w8ll alm8st cert8inly reject the ide8 c8mpletely

AG: PL8S, and I H8 to br8k it to you

AG: H8 8IN'T G8NNA SUPP8RT Y8UR 8LOODY SUFFER8SM!

AG: HE H8S A H8GHBLOOD 8N H8S R8DS

AG: Th8t and we h8ve litrer8lly th8 wh8le sp8ctrum in our gr8up so h8ghbloods are pr8tty un8voidable

AG: And there is a str8ct 'no k8lling, no dy8ng' p8licy in pl8ace wh8ch n8 one is very keen to br8k r8ght n8w!

HH: 0K F1N3

HH: 1 G37 17, 60D

HH: 8U7 1 571LL W4N7 2 M337 H1M

HH: W3 4LL D0

HH: 4ND Y0U C4N'7 D3NY U5 F0R3V3R!

AG: I n8ver s8id I wo8ld!

AG: Y8u c8n m88t h8m wh8n I s8y s8!

AG: N8W QU8T B8THERING M8!

HH: WH473V3R 53RK37

heraldingHoras [HH] ceased trolling agentGuile [AG]

You grown, and collapse face-first onto the keyboard. _Nobody_ can get you as wound up as this guy can. And you're going to have to actually _meet_ him! Just the _thought_ of having him in the same hive as you is enough to raise every hair on your body in disgust. _Eugh!_

But... maybe it won't be as bad as all that. You try to console yourself with the fact that his presence will be largely diluted by that of at least eleven other trolls. In fact probably more, because you can bet that more crazy cultists will turn up and MD would _never_ pass up any chance of getting near the freak...

You honestly _do not_ understand the way that girl's mind works. You don't think she can even be a troll. She is, somehow, _worse_ than Tavros at his weakest and she is going to pay for it someday.

But damn, she's a good contact _and_ a nice person so you _really_ hope that that day doesn't come anytime soon.

But. _Ugh!_ You need to hurry up and break the astounding new to Karkat before any crazy cultists come knock at the door and tell him for you. Because they will do it in completely the wrong way and stupid things will happen, resulting in a _lot_ of confusion, headaches, and embarrassment for everyone involved.

Then suddenly you are broken away from your thoughts by Terezi popping up from behind you still-open husktop and saying shrilly, long before you've had a chance to recover,

'So, Vriska, what does 'AD-EE-EW' mean and where did you hear it?'

...And that's the end of any serious thoughts for the time being.


	53. Feferi: Answer troll

My birthday was AWESOME, and today I saw The Lorax with a friend.

And The Once-ler has gained two new fangirls :3

Due to this, and working on b-day presents for a friend (which involved troll horns and an art commission), I have barely written ANYTHING. But I am updating anyway because I like to stick to schedule =)

This follows on from the last chapter. Arcs are being interrupted much less at the moment.

_**AND WE HAVE SURPASSED 10K VEIWS! YAAAAAAAAY!**_

* * *

====== Feferi: Answer troll.

No you are not going to answer the troll! Or at least not now. You need to be alone for a bit first, so that you can really _think_, and hopefully come to terms with what just happened.

You hadn't expected Eridan to react like that _at all!_ You had only been trying to help, but his reaction had been so... so _hostile_. And so afraid. As if he could barely stand being near you. You guess you shouldn't have moved so fast, been more gentle with your tone of voice... but he had seemed calm enough at first and you had thought a distraction would be good for him. And maybe it was at first. But talking about him to him obviously wouldn't be much of a distraction, now would it?

You've messed up so badly. You'd thought you could still connect with him... though he'd still _want_ you to connect with him... but it's been so long and now...

...And now, you don't feel as if you even know him anymore.

Whoever it is keeps on bugging you. They're really not gonna give up are they? Message after message comes up, and you contemplate just switching off your tablet. whatever they're going on about can't possibly be actually _relev—_

You catch sight of a few words and discover that, actually, it is pretty relevant.

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] began trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]

GA: Feferi?

GA: Are You There?

GA: Moreover

GA: Are You Going To Answer?

GA: Because I Have No Intention Of Stopping Until You Do

GA: I Will Continue To Irritate You In Every Way I Can

GA: Which Is Pretty Much Limited To Continuous Messages Until You Reply But I Will Abuse This Ability As Much As Possible

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: I Am Not Limited To Typing Words Either

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: This Is Important Feferi

GA: And Yes It Is About You And Eridan And What Just Happened

GA: But I Won't Be Saying Anything Until You Answer

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: ...

GA: ...

CC: I am here now Kanaya

GA: Good

GA: I Was Getting Tired Of Mashing The . Key

GA: In fact I Was Considering Simply Copying One Message And Pasting It In Multiple Times

CC: Kanaya

CC: Can we maybe focus?

CC: You said t)(is was important

GA: Indeed I Did

GA: Apologies

CC: What is t)(is aboat?

GA: First Things First:

GA: Eridan Wants You To Know That He Is Sorry For Flying Off The Handle But Cannot Say So Himself For Fear Of Doing Something Stupid Again

CC: ...Rig)(t

GA: His Words Not Mine

GA: And Believe Me He Means Them

CC: W)(ale, I finned it hard to believe him w)(hen )(e can-net even say it to my FAC-_—-__—_E!

GA: Perfectly Understandable

GA: I Will Relay This Information Back To Him

CC: Wait W)(AT?

CC: You are talking to )(im TOO?

GA: Indeed I Am

GA: In Fact I Appear To Be Almost Auspicizing

GA: Funny How This Tends To Befall Me Pretty Much Everyone In Our Group Faces This Sort Of Problem

CC: I am sorry to )(ave driven you to t)(is 38(

GA: Believe Me, So Is Eridan

GA: But I Am Here To Sort out This Dispute And Then That Will Be The End Of It

CC: Its not R-EELY a dispute, I guess

CC: Just a misunderstanding?

GA: Indeed

GA: You both Like Each Other Too Much For There To Be A Genuine Fight I Believe

GA: But This Needs Sorting Out

GA: From Your Perspective

GA: What Happened Exactly?

With a sigh, you tell her about the conversation, if it can be called that. About how you were trying to help him by taking his mind off his own problems but ended up not doing that and that's probably where you went wrong. You tell her about his reaction to your trying to touch him and his reaction to your blood. Kanaya stays mostly silent, only sending small messages of encouragement and asking a few questions.

Once you are done, Kanaya doesn't reply straight away. You suppose she must be conferring with Eridan, or maybe thinking it over. Or both.

GA: Both Accounts Seem To Match Up

CC: Ok

GA: I Will Berate Him For His Behavior Later

GA: Currently, I Wish To Focus On Ensuring That Such Incidents Do Not Happen Again

CC: Yea)( t)(at sea-ms like t)(e best t)(ing to do

GA: Feferi

GA: There Are A Few Things You Need To Know About Eridan

CC: Im listening

GA: The First Is That, Since Coming Back, He Is Rarely Able To Sleep Without Reliving His Own Various Deaths And Mistakes

CC: O)(

GA: Indeed

GA: I Am Afraid That You Managed To Catch Him At A Particularly Bad Time

GA: He Was Already On Edge When You Spoke To Him

CC: I sea

GA: That And He Has Been So Starved Of Any Form Of Contact For So Long That He Finds Interacting With Others

GA: Difficult

GA: To Put It Mildly

GA: But )(e sea-med to be doing w)(ale!

CC: He Was, But It Was Putting A Lot Of Strain On Him

CC: Glub 38(

GA: Another Thing Is That

GA: Well

GA: Feferi

GA: Did You Meet Him In Any Of The Dream Bubbles?

CC: Unfor-tuna-tely not

CC: W)(ale I think I glimpsed him ONC-E but he ran a-wave!

GA: I Encountered Him A Few Times

GA: Though It Was Through Various Different Selves

GA: One Me

GA: Alpha Me I Believe

GA: Stitched Him Back Together

CC: 38O R—EELY?

GA: Yes

CC: T)(at sounds )(ORRIBL-E!

GA: Yes It Was Rather

CC: Couldnt )(e put )(IMS—ELF back toget)(er?

GA: It Seems Not

GA: My Theory That He Was So Consumed By Guilt That His Last Hours

GA: His Worst Hours

GA: Were Pretty Much All He Could Focus On

GA: So He Was Never Able To Switch To A Version Of Himself Who Had Not Been

GA: Injured

GA: But I Havent Yet had A Chance To Discuss It

GA: It Is Something Of A Touchy Subject

CC: I can imagine!

GA: But The Final point Is

GA: Feferi

GA: The Dream Bubbles Broke Him

GA: They Broke Him And

GA: When He Tried To Put Himself Back Together

GA: Not Everything Was Put Back The Same As Before

GA: Excuse Me For A Moment

CC: Kanaya?

She goes idle for a while. You wait, wondering what she's doing. Not talking to Eridan. Maybe something came up wherever she is? You hope she's ok...

GA: Apologies

CC: Is everyt)(ing ok?

GA: Yes

GA: Everything Is In Order

GA: It Shouldnt Be Too Long Before I Arrive

GA: Please Take Good Care Of Him

CC: Of course!

CC: You can trust me

CC: I want )(im to get better

GA: You Have My Gratitude

grimAuxiliatrix [GA] ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]

* * *

Eridan gains points for the 'Author Abuse' award.

Yes, this is now a thing that exists. And at the end of the fic I will put polls on my profile, and the last chapter will be the award ceremony.

I have 'How Bad Can I Be?' stuck in my head T_T

ZDW _—_ YES. GIVE THEM ALL TO HIM. (Although yes, he is a bit XD)

Lol.


	54. Days: Pass

Saw 'The Amazing Spiderman' today! =D And of course about three minutes in we linked it all to Vriska. X)

* * *

====== Days: Pass.

The moons rise, and moons set. Nights continue mostly as they always did, except now the trolls have decided that it's safe to go outside for short amounts of time, so long as they carry at least one weapon. Karkat runs out of romcoms and grudgingly begins playing the movies suggested by his friends.

Gamzee and Tavros start spending more time together although no one's sure what this means. Karkat and Terezi flip quadrants faster than blinking, despite the former's attempts at setting a clear system. Nepeta remains optimistic and continues to draw out her ships.

Now, hardly anyone is wearing their original shirt, or even one with their sign on it. Karkat, Terezi and Equius were the only ones who managed to bring extra clothes with them, though of course Gamzee has extras in his hive. Most turn the ones lent to them inside out but for a while Nepeta goes around with the Cancer symbol emblazoned on her stomach (for Karkat is taller than she is), and Tavros doesn't mind which sign he wears.

It is particularly confusing for Sollux, however, because as it turns out, the colour of his friends' signs is one of the key ways that he tells them apart. But he manages.

The rotor system works well after Tavros persuades Vriska to stop manipulating people into doing her share for her. And although some of the dishes made are hardly gourmet, nobody gets food poisoning.

Eridan appears less and less. The only people to encounter him are Feferi, Vriska and occasionally Karkat.

On the fourth day, Kanaya arrives.

====== Kanaya: Arrive.

'Ok, you can stop here,' you say. The lusus slows to a trot, and then stops. You smile gratefully at the troll, a blueblood girl, and hand her the cape you made – indigo, with a gold (not yellow, _certainly_ not yellow) lining, and a hood, with the troll's sign embroidered onto the back. She isn't a particularly expressive creature, so the nod and smile means a lot. With a happy heart, you hop down.

You're not actually at Gamzee's hive yet. You didn't want to risk leading anyone hostile to the rest of the group, so you had yourself dropped off outside Tavros'. It won't take too long to walk.

At least as Sylph of Space you have a brilliant sense of direction. There is very little chance of you going the wrong way.

You alert the others to your position, send a quick and private message to Eridan (you're worried about him, so, _so_ worried), and then you're off along the coast, going as fast as you can without tiring yourself out and feeling truly grateful for being a rainbow drinker for perhaps the first time ever. Or it feels that way, at least.

But the journey still feels far too long. You're panting by the time you reach the hive and your hair and clothes have seen better days. But you run to the door and knock, and lights go on inside because it's still daylight and they're probably all still asleep but that doesn't matter. You manage to sort out your appearance while they're all scrabbling about inside, being wrenched form slumber by their peers. Karkat's voice is audible even from outside and you can't help but smile tiredly as he barks out orders and attempts to get everyone organized.

Key word there being 'attempts'.

But eventually the door flies open and you are instantly ushered inside, being smothered by hugs and bombarded with questions. Everyone is so happy to see you and it is a little overwhelming.

Then you spot Eridan, hovering at the back and clutching the banister rail as if it's the only thing keeping him upright. Your eyes connect and you realize he looks about a hundred times worse than you'd been expecting.

Karkat follows your gaze. His makes the connection because, despite what he and others might say, he isn't _that_ stupid. Karkat quickly ushers the others back into the recreationblock, shouting over any protests and closing the door firmly.

Quiet falls, punctuated by some very forced conversation from the other block. You look back at Eridan and hold out your arms.

The sound Eridan makes is a mixture of a sob, a whimper, and a cry, and then he's crossed the gap between you in under a second. He reaches you and just _clings_.

You embrace him, tightly, as his thin frame is wracked with sobs that you know he's been holding back for sweeps. And he's pleading and apologizing and you just hold him, waiting patiently for him to calm down enough for you to lead him into the kitchen, where you will make him a hot drink before leading him back upstairs and _making_ him sleep.

====== Eridan: Fully appreciate how wonderful it is to have a jadeblood for a moirail.

It took you a while, but you eventually calmed down enough to stop crying your eyes out and for Kanaya to steer you into the kitchen, where she sat you down and started making something. You don't know what, because you're suddenly exhausted. You think you could just fall asleep at the damn table.

The mixture she places before you is warm and sweet and syrupy, with perhaps a drop of a spirit of some kind and a few spices. It warms you form the inside, and you know that it's basically what they feed wrigglers in the caverns before pupation but you don't care because it is _wonderful_. Only a jadeblood would know how to make something like this.

And then you're feeling even more exhausted, but in a wonderfully sleepy sort of way. The _right_ kind of tired that means you're going to go to _sleep_, not pass out from fatigue. Your limbs are heavy and so are your eyelids, and warmth is filling you like a sort of liquid glow, and dayterrors are the last thing on your mind as Kanaya helps you stand, bearing most of your weight, probably, and helps you back upstairs. You would tell her about the tower and how most of your stuff is up there, but even your tongue is warm and slack and you couldn't talk even if you tried.

You wonder vaguely if that drink was drugged, but you think it's more likely that it just pushed you over the edge of exhaustion, and maybe the spirits had something to do with it, because she wouldn't put anything in especially to induce sleep. She knew what she was doing.

Kanaya settles you down on a couch, covers you with a thick blanket and the warm and softness swallows you up. It's wonderful.

And you can finally, _finally_, sleep.

* * *

There, things have started to get better for Eridan. See?

I do actually know quite a lot about the troll who gave Kanaya a lift. Unfortunately I won't actually be using any of it. I think I'll use the name I had in mind though. It's a bit of a thing with me to slip in named OCs wherever I can XD


	55. Time: Pass

_**MY GECKO IS SO ADORABLE!  
**_

8D

Still can't be handled though and is very shy. But it seems to be eating right and the vivarium isn't getting too hot or anything. We put a real plant in today, which looks nice and made gecko very curious =)

Still have named it, because I don't know the gender and I probably won't for a good 6 months or so :/

Other news: it is my friend's birthday this Tuesday and I STILL haven't finished her presents DX One is an art commission thing and the program I use hates me, but it's ok 'cause I can email it to her later, but one of the others is a pair of Terezi horns and they aren't done. They still need to dry and then I need to paint them and gloss them and then find a way of putting them onto a hairband.

Or maybe I can let her do that...

But I digress.

* * *

====== Time: Pass.

The night wears on. Romcom after romcom is played, watched and (usually) mocked. Aradia appears from somewhere upstairs and she and Equius manage to sort things out. Gamzee and Karkat settle in the living room and don't talk about what happened. Kanaya sends regular messages covering her progress and it is calculated that she should arrive in three to four nights, maybe less. People chat and talk, old grudges are addressed and at least partly overcome.

Nobody knows where Eridan is except maybe Feferi, but when asked, Kanaya assures everyone that he's managing just fine.

For dinner, Karkat begins to make something and then has to quickly change it because Sollux still can't eat solids very well and he hadn't planned on that. The result is a soft, doughy mixture that's a bit like grubloaf and a bit like solidified soup, tastes meaty, and is somehow still edible and actually quite tasty.

A chart is then drawn by the beloved leader and stuck to the fridge using alphabet magnets, indicating who cooks which meals and who washes up for the rest of the week. Vriska makes him have Tavros only do breakfast because his bacon and eggs are amazing. Eridan is moved right to the end of the week because no one knows when he's going to appear. The same thing happens to Kanaya. Sollux thinks he shouldn't have to do much of anything because he's blind. Terezi then jumps on the bandwagon and tries to use this excuse as well.

Trolls squabble and the chart gets redrawn several times, but eventually it settles on a clear, fair rotor-system, which while not leaving everyone _happy_ at least makes everyone _satisfied_.

The night wears on. Various trolls disappear with each other and engage in probably quadrant-related activities that nobody seems too keen on investigating. Karkat is starting to run out of romcoms. Vriska's contacts continue to annoy the crap out of her.

After a badly timed outburst of complaints, Nepeta now blackrom-ships her with HH. Vriska is not amused.

Equius spreads robot parts all over the coffee table and begins making something. After some prodding from his moirail, Tavros asks nervously about his robotic legs. An agreement is made: Equius will begin as soon as he gets back to his hive and has all the necessary materials and equipment.

Things are going well.

Sollux pops grubcorn once the romcom is over and declares that he is going to show Karkat a _real_ movie. This isn't met with much warmth but Aradia and Feferi snuggle down with him and Karkat puts the movie on anyway.

Eventually, the group comes to the mutual decision that it is late enough to go to bed. Pillows cover the floor once more. The TV is switched off, the lights go out, various trolls roll into each others arms.

The hive goes quiet.

====== Terezi: Sleep.

Oh you would. You would and you would _love_ to, but you can't. Or at least, not properly.

Because the bone-deep exhaustion has worn off for most people and every half-hour someone with sit bolt upright, fear rolling off them in waves, until a close friend or moirail pulls them down beside them and manages to sooth them back into something which resembles sleep.

_You_ try getting to sleep in a room full of fear and near-constant movement. It's isn't easy!

You end up drifting a bit, never quite falling asleep but never quite awake either. You _had_ been holding Karkat's hand, discreetly, but about two hours into the day he half-woke up, whimpered pitifully and rolled into Gamzee, who promptly crushed him into a hug that didn't allow any freedom for limbs.

You manage to go right under for what you think _might_ be about two hours, before you are disturbed by Tavros flailing around, still half-asleep, whimpering apologies for at least a whole minute before Vriska unceremoniously pulls him face-first into the pillows again. Everyone sleeping in the same room maybe wasn't the best idea... but you think it would only be worse sleeping separately. At least like this they're people to remind you that your dreams aren't real.

Eventually, some time passed midnight, you get up and leave, moving as quietly as you can. You figure that since you're awake, you might as well get a drink, maybe a bite to eat, and use the bathroom before trying again.

Or at least, that's what you planned on doing. As you open the door to the kitchen, you hear a muffled curse and the clang of a glass hitting the sink. You sniff curiously into the block. Someone who smells very startled and like plum jelly is in the kitchen too.

'Scared the _shit_ outta me!' he says by way of greeting, lifting the glass from the sink.

'Nice to see you too, Eridan,' you say sweetly. 'Where've you been.'

'Hiding,' he admits. He's still shaking slightly as he fills the glass with water and starts to gulp it down. You walk nearer, trying to get a better image together. He smells pale, and very tired, and also of dust and damp. And cold. Sea dwellers are all cold but this is more the cold of a seldom-used room. You wonder where he's been... pretty deep in the hive, probably. In one of the rooms which has literally been set foot in once because even normal highbloods have too much space to use and Gamzee hasn't even _attempted_ to utilize all of his hive.

You don't mention any of this, though. What you say instead is a simple, 'are you ok?'

Eridan doesn't answer at once. He's probably wondering whether to lie or to tell the truth. You think you know the real answer anyway – he is anything _but_ ok.

'Probably not,' he says eventually. His voice sounds a bit better at least. Eridan put the glass down in the sink and leans back against the kitchen counter. His fists are clenched and you suspect that he's doing it to keep his hands from shaking.

'Bad dreams?' you ask. He nods jerkily.

'You have no idea,' he mutters. You frown.

'Everyone gets them, Eridan,' you say, stepping closer. You wonder if he's actually sick. You wouldn't be that surprised – he's had a brush with death, been pretty emotionally messed up, and been spending a lot of his time in cold rooms. Plus, probably not eating and sleeping as he should.

But it's hard to tell because you don't know the normal temperature for a violet so you can't work out if he's feverish or not. You'd need to have Feferi check, but you can't just wake her up on the suspicion that her once-moirail may be a little green around the gills, pardon the pun.

'Not like I do,' he mutters under his breath, probably forgetting that your hearing is better than that of the average troll. Then he looks up at you sharply and you stop walking towards him. 'Why do you _care?_' he hisses, through clenched teeth. But he seems more scared than angry.

'You're my friend, Eridan,' you say simply. 'Sure, you can be a jerk at times, but I still care about you. We _all_ do.' You take another step nearer. He pushes himself against the kitchen counter in a way that just **_screams_ **'_stay the hell away from me!_' So you stop.

'Can you last until Kanaya gets here?' you ask quietly. 'It'll be nights...' His laugh is soft and broken and creepy, raising all the hairs on the back of your neck. It sounds completely unnatural.

'I've lasted over four sweeps,' he replies, with a smile that is only in his lips. 'I can last a few more nights.'

* * *

I'm afraid that I find it hard to leave Eridan alone. I love him too much, which seems to involve making him suffer, which is weird. But things do get better.

That can't be the first time I've said that, dammit.

Guest - Glad you think that, since most of the ships in this fic are hardly normal! XD Thank you!


	56. Nepeta: Quest

In which fairly plotless shenanigans take place because why the fuck not? =)

* * *

====== Nepeta: Quest.

It is the day after Kanaya arrived, and you... are on a mission.

A very important mission.

A mission so important that it could very possibly decide the future of every troll in this hive!

Your mission: ship all the trolls.

_All of them._

...Well, maybe not _pair_ them, not so that they end up with each other. Perhaps give a nudge to those who need it, at the most. But, as shipper of the group, it is your duty to investigate and record every paw-ssible pairing!

You carefully survey the scene. You are in the recreationblock, or 'living room' as Equius always tells you to call it. Also in the recreationblock are Tavros, Vriska and Aradia. Most of the others are in the nutritionblock, you think, and you can get to them later.

Now, who to investigate first...

Tavros is closest, sitting in an arm chair and engrossed in a thick book. Sneakily you cross the room, slipping behind furniture so as not to be seen. The mighty lioness is an expurrt at moving undetected!

You sneak around the side of his chair before popping up in front of him. Rawr! Tavros jumps and nearly drops his book, but smiles when he sees that it's you.

'Hello, Nepeta!' he says, marking his place carefully before closing the book. 'You seem like, you're having, fun!' You quickly school your expression into one of exaggerated seriousness.

'I am on an im-purr-tant mission, Tavros!' you say, voice hushed. The TV is on and Aradia is winding a music box, so your voice is pretty well hidden. Tavros' mouth forms and O shape and he leans in closer. 'It is one that could help de-purr-mine the future of e-fury troll in this hive!'

'_Really?_' Tavros whispered, eyes wide. You nod vigorously.

'And you can help, Tavros!' you continue, putting your hands on his metal knees and pushing you face closer to his. He waits with baited breath for your next sentence.

'What you need to do,' you say, 'is answer one, very important question...' You pause to draw breath. Tavros is frozen with anticipation. It reminds you fondly of a few of your RPing sessions. You hope he isn't taking this _too_ seriously... though is it an _incredibly_ im-paw-tant thing!

'Tavros,' you say seriously, 'do you have any _feelings_ towards anyone?'

He instantly flushes warm brown.

It was a rather direct approach, more so than you would normally use, but you don't regret it. You like Tavros a lot, mainly because he's the sort of purr-son it is possible to be direct to, at least with this sort of thing, without offending him.

'I, um, I...' He stammers a bit, not looking directly at you. You giggle quietly and pat his shoulder.

'You don't have to tell me who,' you say, hoping it'll reassure him. 'Just tell me if you're interested in anyone at all!' You drop your voice slightly. 'And which quadrant, if you don't mind...' Tavros turns, somehow, an even darker shade of brown.

'Um, well, there is, someone,' he says, quickly glancing around the room. You take a quick look too, just to make sure you're not being listened in on. Vriska has her eyes narrowed at you and you gulp, because no matter what anyone says, she still scares you. But Tavros gives her a smile and a nod, and after another couple of seconds she shrugs and looks back down at her husktop.

Tavros looks back at you and continues.

'It could be, red. But, um...' His smile slips and he looks a bit sad. 'I don't know, if they really, feel that way towards, um, me.'

'What makes you think that?' you prod gently.

'Well he, um, sent me a, message once,' he says sadly. 'But I don't, er, know if he really... meant what he, was saying...' Tavros trails off. You give him a sympathetic smile.

'Talk to him a bit,' you encourage, while you mentally go through every male in the group and select the likeliest candidates. 'You should be able to work out what he feels. And if you return his feelings!' Then you hop down to continue your quest...

====== Sollux: Think.

...Think about what, dumbass?

====== Sollux: Think about quadrants.

_Holy mother of __**fuck,**__ no!_ You're quadrants are pretty clean right now – pale with Feferi, flushed with Aradia. Everything is _fine_. There is nothing _to_ think about...

...Except maybe that you're quite possibly-probably waxing black for Eridan fucking Ampora but no, _stop_, you will not think about that. Because you are not thinking about quadrants. Quadrants are definitely not a thing you are thinking about and oh shit, who're you trying to kid?

You're getting frustrated again. Yes, _that_ kind of frustrated. You never thought in all your years _ever_ that _you_, of all trolls, would be suffering like this. Maybe it's a lowblood thing? You think you might've read somewhere once that lowblood tend to get it before highbloods because they're at more risk of being culled, so their bodies begin adolescence sooner or something. Though you haven't noticed Aradia or Tavros or _Karkat_ acting like... you.

Though admittedly those trolls are something of a special case. A candy-blooded mutant, a girl who's spent more of her existence dead than alive, and a troll who was definitely dropped on his head as a wriggler or something because he is _not_ normal.

...You're not even sure if Tav _can_ get that sort of thing anymore, actually, because he was paralyzed from the waist down and you weren't exactly looking closely when Kan amputated his legs, so you don't even know if he even has—

...Lets just... stop that sentence there, shall we?

Of course, it _could_ still be the duality thing... But you honestly haven't suffered from that since you lost your Vision Twofold. So you doubt it. Maybe you're just an early developer? Maybe duality has nothing to do with it and you're just gonna suffer extra anyway? Neither of those sounds very nice.

'Sollux, if you're going to fidget so much, you should probably get up. Go for a walk or something.' Feferi is preparing lunch and her voice cuts sharply through your thoughts. You jump, and realize that you've been drumming your fingers fast on the table for about five minutes without even noticing.

Ugh, looks like you'll have to disappear upstairs again. Or... maybe going outside isn't such a bad idea... it would be quite nice. Maybe you'll invite Aradia...

At any rate, you _really_ need some sort of distraction.

* * *

It has occurred to me that, because of this fic... I really no longer have any right to consider any troll-pairings odd anymore, so long as they have decent founding... lol.

Also, while on the subject of pairings, please note that not all of the ones involved in the fic happen straight away. It actually takes a LONG time for some of them to happen, especially after OCs turn up and begin to meddle with things.

Though I don't think I'll actually include any solid canon/OC ships in this fic. The OCs just cause a bit of a stir.

And yes, that 'Nepeta Quest' thing was deliberate.


	57. Eridan: Dream and Drift

There was a numbering error in the upload chapters page (my fault) and I quietly freaked out for about three days thinking that I'd uploaded the wrong one.

But I hadn't. =)

Really enjoyed writing this chapter lol.

(OMG the grammar checker thing wanted me to change 'crazy pale' to 'crazy _pail_' holy shit)

This happens at about the same time as Nepeta: Quest btw.

* * *

====== Eridan: Dream and Drift.

You don't know how long you've been asleep. You just know that every time you manage to open your eyes, Kanaya is stroking your hair and saying soothing things and you quickly fall asleep again. You're starting to wonder if that drink was drugged after all, or whether you are just that tired.

You don't think she's always with you. That would be unpractical. But when the dreams finally come she's there to hold your hand. You feel like an invalid, and you guess you sort of are. But an invalid who's being steadily healed, who is over the worst of the affliction. It's a bit like that one time, when you were much, much younger, the pollution in the ocean made you really, _really_ sick and you had spent literally a whole week confined to your recupracoon while Feferi dabbed at your forehead with a cold sponge and tried to get you to eat more than salted fruit juices, without much success.

But this is so much better than that. You're not actually ill for one thing. And while you've discovered that you are, in fact, crazy pale for Kanaya you aren't struggling to hide flushed affections like you were with Fef the whole damn time. It's been such a long time since you felt so safe, so at peace. Maybe you should be feeling ashamed at being treated like this, at the _need_ to be treated like this... but you aren't. Not even in the slightest.

Eventually your body decides that you've slept long enough, and though you yearn for the wonderful blank darkness of sleep, you find yourself drifting closer and closer towards the surface no matter how hard you try to keep yourself away.

You groan as you are wrenched unwillingly from your slumber. Your mouth is bone dry and you hungry as _fuck_. You don't think you've eaten anything solid for... a while, now.

Kanaya gently pets your hair and it's soothing, and for a while you just cannot bring yourself to move, but you know now that you won't go back to sleep straight away. Besides, you've been laying on your back for way too long and it's uncomfortable.

'How long'we I been out?' you mumble, raising a hand to rub your eyes. They are practically glued together with sleep.

'Approximately thirteen hours, twenty-five minutes,' she replies. 'I had hoped you would remain asleep for longer,' she adds.

'_Thirteen hours and twenty-fiwe_... whoa.' You sit up. Way too quickly. Suddenly your head is filled with the rushing of blood and your vision fills with sparkly blackness. You sway and are only kept upright by Kanaya, who had the sense to quickly grab your shoulder when you chose to move.

'Fuck,' you hiss, as your sight blacks out completely for a few seconds and your head pounds with the beat of your heart. '_Fuck_. That wasn't a good idea. Ow.'

'Indeed it was not,' she says wryly. You can hear the amused smile. You finally open your eyes.

The room is dim and Kanaya is literally glowing. You stare. Because apart from that one time she, y'know, killed you, you have never seen her in full rainbow drinker form. Without really thinking you reach out and touch her cheek. Her skin is smooth and cool, but there's nothing that gives any clue as to _how_ her skin emits such a glow.

She raises an eyebrow and you quickly snatch your hand back. 'Sorry,' you mumble.

'I suppose you think I am positively radiant,' she says, with a smile. You roll your eyes.

'That pun was terrible.'

'I do my best.' You smile and then, after hesitating a moment, pull her into a hug. 'Thanks,' you mumble into her shoulder. 'Thanks for... for ewerythin', Kan.' She wraps her arms firmly around you, strong as iron, but somehow still wonderfully gentle. She is your anchor. Without her you don't know where you would end up.

'I'm just being a good moirail,' you replies softly.

'I don't deserwe you,' you say miserably. Because you don't.

Kanaya sighs. '_Please_ don't start that again. You can repay me when I deem you ready... Or when I get hungry enough...' She draws in a long breath, tasting your scent. You feel yourself stiffen slightly but try to relax. Of course, the easiest and simplest way to repay her is to let her drink you. And you should've seen it coming. But you hadn't really thought about it for some stupid reason.

'You can take a bite now, if you want,' you say, trying to disguise the nervousness in your voice. She gives your shoulder a comforting pat.

In all honesty... the fact that your moirail drinks the blood of other trolls terrifies you. You hate that it terrifies you but it's true, and it'll be a long time before you can get the image of a whirring chainsaw out of your mind every time you glimpse her fangs.

'Karkat has... satisfied me, for now,' you says. You feel an unexpected rush of jealousy that you quickly fight back. Because Kanaya is _your_ moirail so how _dare_ that _mutated freak_—no, Ampora, steady now, no thinking those thoughts.

'Ready to go downstairs?' she asks, sufficiently breaking you away from your slight internal struggle. You somewhat reluctantly break away from the hug as well, and nod.

'I'm fuckin' starvin',' you say casually, because what idiot is nervous about leaving a room and meeting people he's known for sweeps and have been in the same hive as him for nights _certainly_ not _you_ ha ha ha ha ha!

...Fuck, who're you kidding?

Kanaya probably senses your nervousness. She's just brilliant like that. But she doesn't say anything – just calmly takes you hand and gets up, forcing you to move slowly so as to avoid another visual blackout. And you're glad she pretends not to notice.

You have, undoubtedly, the best moirail on Alternia.

====== Karkat: Realize that you are not the group's lusus.

You are not the group's lusus.

What you _actually_ are, you don't know. But you are not the lusus.

Because the lusus of the group is undoubtedly Kanaya.

She basically does everything your own crabdad did and more. Not only has she vowed that anyone who threatens the well-being of the group will be faced with her chainsaw, but she has cooked, cleaned, _and_ broken up arguments.

She is currently berating you for putting off your chores so long that Tavros was stuck with washing up for both lunch _and_ breakfast, and you are just sort of standing there, actually feeling _guilty_, while she speaks sternly at you and Eridan silently cracks up in the background.

Part of you feels relieved, because Group Lusus was not a title you were particularly enjoying. It has, however, left you feeling a little lost because you can't complain about trying to look after was herd of bumbling idiots when they aren't your responsibility anymore.

But fuck, you trust her. You trust her and she is one of your closest friends and if you had to pick anyone to look out for the group, you would always pick her. She's not so much a lusus as a... as a...

...There's a word for it that isn't in your dictionary... a human word... damn, what was it?

...Fuck... No, not that...

...Hmm...

...Oh yeah.

Not a lusus. A 'mother'.

* * *

Hnnnnnnn... I ship those two pale so damn hard now...

It is a headcanon of mine that when he was younger, pollution from a factory or something did make him really ill, and that's one of the reasons why he hates/hated land dwellers and spends most of his time out of the sea. Other than the fact that he is/was a vain prick who worries too much about his hair, of course. I don't really know if I'm talking about this Eridan in this fic or the Eridan we last knew of in canon. Oops lol.

ZDW - SO. TEMPTING. I will see what I can do... XD Nothing in action though, since most of them are dead!

Actually...

The Helmsman is still alive, horrific as it is...

Now you've gone and given me IDEAS.

Anon2023 - I can't wait to introduce them! So much sweet stuff planned AND I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT KEEPING THEM IC BECAUSE THEY'RE MY CHARACTERS SO WHATEVER THEY DO IS IC JDEJIQWJIWDWAPO


	58. Nepeta: Continue quest

In which yet more plotless randomness ensues X)

I don't even remember why I wrote this chapter, other than to include another OC and maybe fill some space.

Other news: Olympics are officially over, half of the songs in the ceremonies were from bands I've never heard of, and I didn't go to see anything at the stadium (though the cycling went really close to me house so I saw that). But I still enjoyed watching from home.

Only got one review for the last chapter D=

* * *

====== Nepeta: Continue quest.

You were just about to ask Aradia when Sollux came in and invited her out for a walk. You are now watching them discreetly from the window, realizing that you shouldn't have needed to ask at all. Their matespritship is glaringly obvious.

You turn, and glace back into the room. You've done Tavros and Aradia is left, so Vriska is the only one remaining...

She looks up, and raises one eyebrow at you.

You don't care what happens, or what anyone says: Vriska Serket is still a terrifying troll. The way that she has been sitting there silently, for about three hours now, just tapping away on her husktop, isn't helping matters. It's so sinister!

...You decide that you can leave her until a bit later, and quickly go into the nutritionblock instead.

====== Vriska: Have text battle with mystery troll.

serpensDankana [SD] began trolling agentGuile [AG]

SD: ^^I^^DON'T^^GIVE^^A^^FUCK^^ABOUT^^WHO^^YOU^^ARE^^

SD: ^^BUT^^KEEP^^THE^^HELL^^AWAY^^FROM^^MY^^MATESPRIT^^

Oh, _sweet Signless_...

AG: Oh

AG: You must 8e Mr Iolaus

SD: ^^THE^^FUCK^^?!^^

SD: ^^HOW^^THE^^ACTUAL^^FUCK^^

SD: ^^DO^^YOU^^KNOW^^MY^^NAME^^?^^

AG: MD said it, asshole.

AG: Though she hasn't had the decency to tell me hers yet

AG: Care to do the honors?

SD: ^^FUCK^^NO^^

'Watcha doing, sister?' You jump slightly. Gamzee has wandered into the room and managed to get right beside you without your noticing. Damn. 'You've been staring at that screen for hours now, a brother's gonna get his wondering on as to what his sister's motherfucking up to.' He doesn't sound hostile, but slightly wary. You don't blame him – it's been a tense few days for him.

'Talking to a jerk,' you reply, which is true. 'Or a number of jerks, actually. This is the latest.' Gamzee attempts to peer at the screen. You turn your husktop away because you sure as hell don't want him seeing the name. He tries to look again. You turn the husktop again. Gamzee growls threateningly. You narrow your eyes at him.

'Leave me alone or I'm calling Karkat. Or Kanaya.' His eyes narrow too.

'You wouldn't.'

'I _would_.'

The staring match goes on. Purple vs. silence stretches on. Shut up, voice of reason, you _refuse_ to be the first to blink.

Abruptly, Gamzee backs down, turning away and stalking from the room. But this shit is far from over.

====== Nepeta: Now do Eridan.

'So, Mr. Am-purr-a,' you begin, sliding around the table to get closer. He looks at you in complete confusion that is also tainted slightly with suspicious. You continue regardless. 'Are you interest in helping me with a very im-purr-tant mission?'

'Depends what it is,' he replies, voice guarded.

'Nepeta, stop annoying Eridan,' Kanaya says form the sink, without looking round. She's already begun preparing dinner, and you can only guess that it will be something very lavish and exotic and involve a lot of plants you've never heard of. Smells good, though!

'She's not annoyin' me,' Eridan says quickly. Kanaya just shrugs. Eridan looks back at you and you smile. 'What's the mission?' You lean closer, because this is very confidential.

'I must keep track of purr-ings,' you whisper. Eridan goes pale a second before his face flushes bright violet. And from the way he jerks back like you just bit him, you realize that this method probably wasn't the best for this case. Oh well.

'No,' she says. 'No, no, _hell fuckin' no_.' But his cheeks aren't getting any paler and your smile isn't getting any smaller because you know that if there wasn't anything to find, he wouldn't be trying this hard to hide it.

'Suit yourself,' you say, shrugging and backing away. You'll ask around a bit more. Maybe his _partner_ will be more willing...

Eridan has whipped out his computer-glasses-things and put them on. You stare in confusion. He takes them off and says, in response to your questioning look;

'Just sendin' out a warnin' to everyone on my contacts that a green-blooded troll is pokin' about quadrants.'

Now _your_ cheeks are colored.

====== Vriska: Continue argument.

Will this _ever_ end?

AG: Well you can call me Serket

AG: 8ecause gog, it's not like any of you lot 8other to use my first name even if you know it.

SD: ^^US^^LOT^^?^^

SD: ^^THE^^FUCK^^?!^^

AG: It is a long story that I cannot 8e arsed to explain to the likes of you.

AG: Go ask your l8vely l8ttle m8sprit if you REALLY w8nt to kn8w!

SD: ^^YOU^^KNOW^^I^^THINK^^I^^WILL^^

SD: ^^I^^DON'T^^KNOW^^WHO^^YOU^^ARE^^

SD: ^^OR^^WHAT^^YOU'RE^^DOING^^

SD: ^^BUT^^SHE^^SHOULDN'T^^BE^^INVOLVED^^

AG: Gr8. Go do that.

He leaves for a while. O...k...? It's pretty abrupt. You don't know this guy, but judging from what he's already written, you'd expect him to make some sort of remark before leaving. Instead he's just gone silent.

AG: You still there?

SD: ^^THE^^FUCK^^

SD: ^^I^^JUST^^GOT^^A^^MESSAGE^^

SD: ^^FROM^^ERIDAN^^FUCKING^^AMPORA^^

SD: ^^THAT^^AN^^OLIVEBLOOD^^IS^^POKING^^ABOUT^^PAIRINGS^^

SD: ^^THE^^FUCK^^ARE^^YOU^^DOING^^?!^^

Holy shit. _That's_ what she was up to. Poor Tavros. Heck, poor _everyone_. And of course your text is green.

_Nepeta!_

AG: Exc8se m8 wh8le I go y8ll at our r8sidant ol8ve

AG: 8ur 8ther 8ne th8t 8s

agentGuile [AG] ceased trolling serpensDankana [SD]

You set down your husktop and get up just as the troll in question enters the room. She looks very embarrassed.

'You just got Eridan's message, right?' she says meekly. You cross your arms and nod. Further to your right, Tavros makes a little spluttering sound. You look. Both hands are over his mouth, his cheeks are flushed brown, and he looks mortified. Eridan's message is on the screen.

You look back at Nepeta.

She immediately blanches and, in a flash of blue and green, has vanished back through the door, mewling for Equius and running as fast as she can. You'll probably pay for this later. You don't give a shit.

It's only once she's safely out of earshot that you allow yourself to double over laughing.

'You shouldn't really, laugh, Vriska,' Tavros says reproachfully. You manage to calm yourself slightly, wiping tears from the corners of your eyes. It feels good to be able to laugh openly, even if it is as the expense at one of your friends.

'_Please_, Pupa!' you say, body still wracked with the occasional spasm of mirth. 'This is the funniest thing I have witnessed for _aaaaaaaages!_' And then you have to sit down.

* * *

_See_, I _do_ like Vriska. I _can_ be kind to her.

Iolaus' quirk looks like one of those ^_^ things without the _. I'm gonna play on that. And with it.

I'm starting to really love these OCs. This is not a good thing. _They are supposed to be my toys to play with, goddammit._ Ahem.

ZDW - Kanaya is the best lusus. It is her. Everyone else can go home.


	59. Feferi: Wander

FINALLY, tis sorted. Sorry about that! Chapter 52 (Nepeta: Tread Carefully) is new, though I don't think you'll be able to comment on it unless your on Guest mode or whatever. This chapter is the long-awaited Feferi/Equius scene! I must say I'm pretty pleased with it =)

* * *

Feferi: Wander.

You are upset. You're not going to deny it. You're really not over Sollux yet, and even though he was so kind and you're moirails now, his rejection was still like a needle to the vascular system.

And then you managed to walk in on Eridan and Vriska engaging in sloppy make-outs in one of the blocks upstairs.

It was their fault really. The door was wide open and all you'd done was peer inside and there they were, on the couch, legs tangled together and T-shirt tossed carelessly on the floor. Neither one had heard you. Neither one had looked up. And you had left as quietly as you had arrived, not wanting to disturb them.

But it hurts, like another stab to your heart, to see someone you're so fond of so close to someone you... don't know if you like. Someone you feel as if you barely know. You've rarely spoken to her. And it makes you feel... betrayed.

So you wander, trying to think it over, attempting to sort out the mess of your emotions. You can't talk to Sollux when you're still not sure what you feel about him. That would only make it worse...

From further down the hallway, you think you can hear the clinking of metal. Curious, you cautiously follow the sound. You don't _think_ it's the sound of another make-out. And you sincerely hope that it isn't. But at least they've had the decency to close the door if it is.

You hover outside for a while, listening. It doesn't sound like a make-out, though what it is, you're not sure. Hesitantly, and wondering if you'll regret it, you knock on the door.

The sounds abruptly stop. You lick your lips nervously, hard hovering by the handle, wondering whether to open the door or wait for the person inside to speak.

'Who is it?' The voice is deep and strong and unmistakably Equius'. You relax slightly. He's probably working on something and doesn't want to be disturbed... that makes you fell a little lonely, but it's better than walking in on more sloppiness.

'Um, Feferi,' you reply. 'Can I come in?' His response is instantaneous.

'Of course, your highness.' That.. doesn't exactly fill you with confidence. It sounds far more as if he's required to invite you in than that he actually _wants_ to talk to you. Come to think of it, he does seem to be following the casting system more these days... even more than usual, which is saying something.

But you let yourself in the close the door behind you.

Equius immediately stands, bowing his head, and you smile and wave your hand until he sits back down again. You're not used to these formalities and you don't like them. You hope this wasn't a mistake. You can see this being so awkward but you've already missed you chance to leave.

Equius is kneeling on the floor, bits of metal strewn all over the place and varying sizes of wrenches and screwdrivers and tools you can't identify laid out neatly on a small table. Equius is making... something that isn't complete enough to be recognizable yet. You pull up a chair and watch, hoping you aren't making him too uncomfortable. But he seems pretty relaxed.

'Vantas... advised that I do my work upstairs, out of the way,' he says, breaking the silence. It occurs to you that while he does not _look _uncomfortable, on the inside he might be squirming with embarrassment.

'Yeah, that's probably sensible,' you say, hoping that keeping the silence broken will stop it from getting too awkward. 'What are you making, if you don't mind me asking?'

'I am further experimenting with biomechanics,' he replies at once, a hint of pride entering his voice. 'Nitram will soon have outgrown his current prosthetic limbs, and I am working on a way to make them lighter and more flexible.'

'That's neat!' you say, because it really is. Technology isn't your thing – well, you _do_ live underwater – and it's always baffled you a bit, but robo-prosthetics seem like a good thing to be making. You still want to change the culling laws. With technology like this, you can at least make a start! Less culling will happen if there are fewer trolls slated to be culled.

'I am flattered, my lady,' Equius rumbles in reply, obviously very pleased and blushing slightly blue.

'You're welcome!' you say, before adding gently, 'and please, just call me Feferi!' He seems to struggle with himself for a moment, blue flush creeping steadily up his next. 'Or Miss. Peixes, if you're more comfortable with that,' you add quickly.

'Very well, Miss. Peixes,' he says, obviously far more comfortable now. You smile, even though he can't see you, and sit back in your chair.

'Do you mind telling me about what you're making?' you ask. 'If it's not distracting.'

'I would be happy to tell you,' he says truthfully, and you feel relieved. Equius starts to talk, and you do listen at first... but a lot of it is very technical and goes completely over your head. You find yourself thinking about Sollux again, and the sadness creeps back in. You'll get over, you _know_ you will... but it still hurts.

'...tubes in which hydraulics and... Miss. Peixes?' You jump at the sound of you name. Equius is facing you, expression curious. You quickly hitch the smile back onto your face.

'Sorry!' you giggle. It sounds forced even to your own ears. 'I guess I just dozed off there! I'm still quite tired!' You know you haven't fooled up though.

'...You seem... sad,' Equius says awkwardly. You drop the smile because it's pointless.

'Yeah, I am a bit,' you admit, looking at the floor. 'Sollux...' You don't want to say 'rejected me'. It sounds far too harsh. '...isn't my matesprit,' you say instead, glumly.

'I am sorry to hear that,' Equius says, earnestly. You're not positive, but you think Aradia turned him down a few nights ago. He... he understands.

'It's fine, really!' you say, smiling again. But it feels forced. 'Please, don't let me distract you!' You sit and smile until he turns away. When he eventually does, you hang your head and bite your lip. You don't want him to see this, but you don't want to be alone, either.

You hear the creaking of metal, but ignore it. You don't want to distract him. But then he turns again, and you look up to assure him you're fine, really, and...

...And he's holding out a metal flower.

Silently you take it, staring at it in awe. The stem is a strip of steel, curled round to make a tube. Two leaves, one at the top and one at the bottom, complete with vein marks etched into the metal, poke out from the overlap. The flower head itself is like a rose, delicate sheets of metal curved over at the edges to dull the biting sides.

The petals aren't perfect, don't have smooth, precise curves, but somehow, that makes it even more beautiful. The steel has many scratches because it was obviously intended to be used for something else, but that only makes you love it more. It was crafted in under ten minutes and it is one of the most amazing things you have ever held.

'Thank you,' you whisper, revolving it slowly in your hand. It is perfect in every way. 'Equius, it's beautiful.' You look at him, smiling for real now, and he is smiling back, cheeks blue with pride.

'You are most welcome... Feferi.'

* * *

No 100dities from these two, folks. Very elegant courtship is what I imagine, and what I feel comfortable writing, and what I feel this fic lacks.

I hope I didn't make Feferi sound dumb, but I can't honestly imagine her knowing anything about technology. I don't either and I wrote her pretty much how I would react. I can see her as being very interested and intrigued, but not particularly interested in learning about it. Content with sitting in a chair and watching.


	60. Karkat: Rant about problems

Editing and posting a bit earlier today in the hopes that I won't be too out of it to spot any glaring mistakes. I'm pretty tired already though so I don't know if it'll do any good.

The day before yesterday, me and some friends went up to London. In cosplay. To take photos and make a music video to the parody of a song that had been written and sung. It was brilliant. But I forgot to mention it last chapter because of tiredness and numbering confusion and all that shit.

Anyway, I think I've rambled enough.

* * *

====== Karkat: Rant about problems.

...Wouldn't those just be Terezi?

But anyway, yes, you are sitting at the eating platform, ranting about your problems to someone who might just not _only_ be able to understand but possibly even _help_.

But you don't think Kanaya is listening, actually. Still, it's good to be able to vent a bit, even if it's to no one. It's only awkward if there's no one else in the room to pretend you're talking to.

'I feel like I want her in every fucking quadrant,' you moan, curling your fingers into your hair and pulling. Not hard, but enough to make it hurt. 'Even _with_ Gamzee in my diamonds. Like I'm committing pale infidelity. And that made me sound like such a desperate fucking tool.' You huff a frustrated sigh. 'Like I wanna comfort, hate, mind and kiss her all at the same fucking time.' Kanaya says nothing. You look up at where she's mixing something (Gog, there'll be a three-course-dinner by the time she's done) and see that she has her back to you and head bowed.

'Something up?' you ask, probably way too late to be tactful. She nods. 'Why don't you go talk to Eridan about it?' She sighs. It occurs to you that she's actually been sighing quite a lot lately. You feel a harsh pang of guilt at only just having noticed it and resolve to be politer for the rest of the conversation.

Or you'll try, anyway.

She answers your question with a question: 'why do _you_ not talk to Gamzee about relationships?' That throws you for a moment. But at least she was listening to you a _bit_.

'He wouldn't understand,' you reply adamantly, though you had to think about it a bit first. But you said it because you are pretty sure that Gamzee no longer has the emotional capacity for any concupiscent feelings. Corpse-smooching doesn't count and you're pretty damn sure he hasn't done it since the meteor shit.

Kanaya rolls her eyes. 'You sound very sure of that. But our reasons are similar.' You narrow your eyes.

'You think that Gamzee _would?_' She wheels about to face you, waving a wooden spoon threateningly.

'That's for you to find out,' she says, jabbing the spoon at you. Bits of whatever she's making fly off onto the floor, and your right cheek. 'Do want to know why I'm upset or not?' She sounds slightly hurt. You nod quickly, and not just because she's somewhat threatening. After certain events you have learned to value your friends.

She turns back to the nutritionblock sink, where the strange mixture is sitting in a bowl. 'I can't talk to Eridan about it because it is _about_ Eridan. And anyway, he's with Vriska.' You suppress a shudder. That is one _weird_ pairing and you don't care to think about it.

'I'm your fucking friend. Talk to me,' you encourage. There have always been some pale leanings between you and Kanaya. If not for the fact that you're both taken in that department you would perhaps feel a little guilty right now. More than a little, actually, what with your weird feelings towards Terezi and all that shit.

'I'm worried, Karkat. Maybe he _seems_ ok, but the damage he has done to himself is _immense_.' You frown at that. Or rather, your frown becomes deeper and more confused.

'He hasn't been self-harming. I checked.' Kanaya heaves her greatest sigh and yet and turns to face you again.

'Cutting isn't the only form of self-harm, Karkat,' she says reproachfully. 'In fact I do not think he is aware of what he is doing to himself. Facing the Threshecutioners was practically _suicide_ and he knew it. I do not believe that he expected to survive.' She doesn't just look worried. She looks _scared_. You get up and put a hand on her shoulder.

She brushes you off.

'I'm fine, I just... I feel as if I've failed him. That I _am_ failing him.' She bows her head, lips pressed tightly together. You resists the urge to hug her, as much as you think she needs it.

''Course you're not failing him! If anything _I_ the one doing that.' You clench your fists. 'He's been in this hive for nights and I've only seen him about three times—'

'Don't _you_ start!' Kanaya snaps, eyes flashing. You close your mouth and do _not_ move. 'Blaming yourself isn't going to make me feel any better, thanks.' You nod once. You still remember how easily her fangs had pierced your skin, and the Band-Aid on your neck won't be moving anytime soon. She's scary. She's scary and it's horrible because she's Kanaya, the group's lusus, and she shouldn't be.

She sees the look on your face and sighs again, looking at the floor.

'I'm sorry,' she murmurs. 'I'm still not used to some aspects of my... status.'

'It's ok,' you say quickly. 'Neither am I... Wait, I meant—' She laughs quietly.

'It's ok,' she assures you, giving a real smile. 'Besides, I have to get on with making this. I shudder to think about what you've all been living on this long!' You laugh, though very half-heartedly. Kanaya ignores you and gets back to cooking.

Nothing seems to have been resolved.

====== Aradia: Walk and wonder.

The sea is pretty beneath the two moons, sparkling green and pink. You and Sollux walk side-by-side, holding hands. It's quiet and peaceful, reminding you of the earlier days of your courtship, when the drones were nothing but nightmares in your childish minds.

But it isn't like that anymore, and although you have (thank heaven) not yet hit the pheromones, your body is still changing, as is his. And you're still both unsure of your feelings. Ending it with Equius was painful, even if it was necessary. You know that Sollux was close to Feferi and that she still probably has some very un-pale feelings for him, so going to her for advice about it would just be cruel.

It's hard being a kid and growing up. It's hard but, well... at least you're all going through it at the same time. So most of you _do_ understand.

'Do you think they're alright?' Sollux suddenly breaks the silence, and you look up at him in surprise. His head is tilted towards the sky, and you are suddenly struck by a horrible pang of sadness when you realize that you can no longer see it. It's so clear out here, too, every star visible against a canvas of black.

You had told that the both of you could reach them, once. And he had harshly replied that that would only be possible if he were a Helmsman and you were a slave.

'Who're alright?' you ask. He looks slightly startled, as if he hadn't realized he'd spoken out loud, and turn his head to face you.

'The humans,' he explains. 'Sorry. I was just... thinking about them...' He trails off. Nobody talks about the alien kids much, mostly because certain member of your group got very close to some of them. 'I mean,' Sollux continues, 'did they go back to their world, or did they go into a new universe, or... what?' You think about it for a moment. Neither of you were among those on the meteor, so talking about the humans isn't so painful. All it really does is bring back less than pleasant memories about the game, and they are easily pushed aside.

'I think,' you say carefully, 'that wherever they are... they are happy and are doing well.' Sollux smiles. You realize that it is one of the few times he has smiled since you first met up with him again at Gamzee's hive.

'Yeah,' he replies. 'That's what I was thinking too.'

* * *

It took me a stupidly long time to realize that Karkat, like the Signless, doesn't strictly do quadrants, that their romance is way more like a human's. He rants to his future self about it during one of the intermissions.

A bit of proof that I haven't forgotten that the humans exist thrown in, too. As well as a completely shameless reference to one of my other fics. (*COUGHCOUGH*****The Thtarth are Nithe*COUGHCOUGH*)

Now for anons~

AnonKitty83 - thank you! I hope you continue to read and enjoy~!

ZDK - I now like it more than I probably should lol. But I also do prompts on Tumblr and the pairings in them are usually a /lot/ weirder. I got one of black Eridan/Tavros not so long ago which I need to finish writing. It's good practice, though.

theNamelessAnon - glad you like it! =D And extra glad that I seem to be doing well! XD

All - reviews make the world go round. I can't thank you guys enough!


	61. Vriska: Ask important question

A bit late today because family members came round. We had afternoon tea, complete with scones. And cream and jam. I'm not even joking.

And then I watched Tangled :P

Anyway...

Day 21.

Still no update.

Homestuck fandom set to implode at any possible moment.

I wonder what insane idea we'll come up with this time?

* * *

====== Vriska: Ask important question.

The make-out has ended. You're both topless, still, and panting in the aftermath. You're tangled up on the couch together, bodies pressed close, Eridan's head tucked beneath your chin, the space between his horns in just big enough for you to slide your chin in. You don't risk getting stabbed, either. Eridan's body pressed so close to your own that you think he hopes you'll just fuse together if he keeps it up long enough and you don't want him to ever let go.

You've wrapped your arms tightly around him, fingers still exploring the dips between his ribs and the ridges of his spine. He's way too thin. You should probably talk to Kanaya about it...

But let's not think about that. You're too happy. This is the first stable, _definitely_ requited concupiscent relationship in your life. You don't want to spoil even a second of it.

'So,' you mumble into his hair, breaching the silence with a questions you've been meaning to ask for a while now, 'why is that sea dweller asshole on your contacts?' You meant to ask right at the beginning. It was actually the main reason why you got him up here in the first place, but... stuff you hadn't really planned on started to happen and you'd mostly forgotten about it.

'Why're you asking?' he mumbles back. 'Why's he in yours'?'

'That'll come later,' you reply. 'You gonna answer _my_ question?' Eridan huffs a sigh. His breath is cool. You should probably put your T-shirt back on soon because you're getting pretty cold and as much as you pity Eridan (yes, you do, it's a thing now) he isn't the warmest of trolls. Though it could be worse – your temperature closer to his than it is to Tavros'. It makes cuddling for long amounts of time feel more... more natural.

'I hawe him because he's a sea dweller,' Eridan explains. 'We were in cahoots a couple a times an' I newer took him off the list.' He pulls back slightly to look into your eyes. 'Why?' he asks suspiciously. You shrug, trying to look innocent. Unfortunately it isn't something you've ever been very good at.

He studies you for a moment, before sighing and looking down. 'You'll tell me when you feel like it,' he mumbles, tucking himself back against your body. You tighten your grip, holding him close. You've never been like this with _anyone_ before and it is so much more wonderful than you _ever_ thought it would be. Ever.

'You need to eat more,' you sigh, fingers falling back to the gaps between his ribs. 'You're too bony.'

'Aren't I comfortable enough?' he mumbles into your skin. You can hear the smile in his voice and know he's mostly joking.

'It could be _more_ comfortable,' you reply. He chuckles quietly.

'I'll work on it,' he says. Then the silence falls once more.

Your back is getting quite cold, and his probably is too. But the places where your bodies meet are wonderfully warm.

====== Tavros: Watch movie.

You would be if you knew what it was about but you're sort of confused. You came in halfway through and therefore missed half the plot. It's an action though, very suspenseful and not really your thing. You think it must be reaching the big climax because there're a lot of ships crashing in a horrible pile up (_imagine if that really happened. All those poor people!_) and sparks and flames everywhere (_is that even possible in space?_) and the main protagonist is swearing a lot.

'Heya Tavbro.' You jump slightly, then look up and smile. Gamzee is loping towards you, smiling, tossing a bottle of Faygo from one hand to the other as he walks, without even looking at it. He grins at you, fangs flashing slightly in the light, as he slumps beside you onto the couch. He pops the cap off the bottle with his thumb and sips at the drink, eyes now glued to the TV screen.

You sit stiffly, suddenly aware of a) how much of him there is and b) how it's all _right next to you_ in a way that means _your arms are touching_.

You're not entirely sure what to think of Gamzee. Aside from that one rather odd and somewhat creepy message back from before the game had even begun, you haven't received much from him that suggests he's attracted to you. Apart from some possible corpse-smooching but, no, you do not think about that. It's way too weird and brings back sad memories.

'All them sparks,' he says suddenly, gesturing to the screen with his Faygo bottle. 'You ever wonder how they film that shit? Is it for real?' You smile hesitantly.

'I, um, think it's mostly, CGI, Gamzee.'

'_Shhhhhhh_,' Gamzee turns to you, putting the index finger of his free hand to his lips. 'Don't spoil the miracles, man,' he whispers. You laugh, slightly nervously, and nod. But all you can really think about is how you think you must be flushing deep brown and he's going to _notice_ and it'll be so _embarrassing_ and what do you really feel for him anyway? _Could_ you feel something? Could _he?_ You know Karkat has ranted loads about how messed up thinkpan-wise is and you wouldn't be surprised if it's effected how he goes about his quadrants, as well...

_What if he can't feel anything concupiscent anymore?!_

Gamzee's attention is once again focused on the screen as he smiles serenely, sipping his Faygo instead of just chugging it down, like he usually does... How do you know that he usually does that? You don't think he's ever told you... Oh no, what if you're some sort of stalker?! What else do you know that he's never told you?! And _you're sitting right next to him!_

'You ok, Tavbro?' Gamzee has turned his attention back to you and is frowning slightly, looking concerned. You try not to squirm uncomfortably but you know you must be blushing like crazy.

'I, um, I...' You can't even manage a proper answer.

'Movie a bit intense for you, hm?' You don't know what to do. Or say. So you just nod. It's not entirely a lie, either. But he's really studying your face now and it's making you _so_ uncomfortable and now he's put a cool hand on your forehead like he's checking your temperature and you are almost freaking out.

'You're a pretty warm motherfucker but you sure this is normal, Tavbro?' He sounds worried and it _really_ doesn't help because now you feel guilty too.

'I, um, I think I just... need... I think I need to just, um... go...' You get to your feet. Gamzee now looks both concerned and completely nonplussed. You walk from the block as fast as you can without running, starting to wring you hands before you've even got to the door. You don't look back.

You step into the kitchen and close the door behind you, slumping against it. That was so unbelievably awkward. You usually get on so smoothly with Gamzee too! At the first opportunity you are finding Vriska and _begging_ her to give you some advice on this.

* * *

Ahem.

Troll romance theory time! 8D

Ok basically, I theorize that for the flushed quadrant, trolls tend to choose (for the long term at least), a troll whose life and temperature is roughly equal to their own. It isn't such a big thing with black, but it still happens. For the pale quadrant, most trolls would _like_ to have a moirail who would live as long as they would, but due to the nature of the quadrant (weak seeking protection, dangerous seeking a calming influence), it tends to be a lowblood and a highblood. There's also the whole hemospectrum bullshit of course.

But I do have exceptions to this rule. GamTav is one of many. It is tragic and I love it.

Another note - I am running a sort of theme with the 'lets not think about it' stuff. It isn't just a phrase I'm accidentally overusing. I probably just ruined the whole thing but I get really paranoid so yeah.

Anon replies~

ZDK - pretty much :/  
Although the Signless and the Disciple show us that it isn't impossible for his feelings to be returned =)

AnonKitty83 - Thank you! One of the reasons I update so much is because it makes people happy lol. It's lovely to turn on your computer in the morning to see a fic you love has updated, no? ^_^


	62. All: Sleep

Today I went on Trollplay. As Helmsman!Sollux.

And I found a Karkat.

And my feels went through the roof.

And I am _going_ to write a fic for it and there is _nothing_ anyone can do to _stop_ me. I might even delay Adolescence for it. It is a thing that _needs_ to happen.

Anyway, here's the chapter.

* * *

====== All: Sleep.

Kanaya's meal is delicious, and easily the best thing ever made in that kitchen. No one except Kanaya can find anything wrong with it and as soon as she voices her opinions, she is immediately shouted down by eleven others and forced to enjoy what she made. Hardly anyone talks because everyone is too busy eating, but the little conversation is light and happy.

Alas, it is not to stay that way.

The sun begins to rise. Dishes are put away and it's Feferi's turn to wash up. Everyone else goes about covering the living room floor with cushions. But the atmosphere is tense and people rarely speak. Because everyone knows that this is it, it will happen today. When they sleep is when the true horrorterrors start, the _true_ sort that make the dreamer forget that it was a dream even after they wake up.

But tonight, _everyone_ sleeps in the living room. Vriska swears that the dreams are very important. Kanaya makes a deal with Eridan – he'll sleep with the others so long as she doesn't use the pills.

She thinks it a fair exchange and agrees. Anyone who is distracted by her glow chooses a spot at the other end of the room. Due to traveling halfway around the world, Kanaya's sleeping schedule has been addled enough to allow her to sleep during the day.

And so everyone settles down. Everyone closes their eyes. Hands find hands, fingers intertwine. Minds prepare themselves for an onslaught of terror.

====== Kanaya: Dream.

This time, without slime or pills to cloud it over, the dream is as clear and as vivid as if you are standing there yourself...

You slowly make your way through a crowd that parts before you if you're the Condesce herself. The sadness rolls of everyone in waves so thick it is almost tangible. It sits in your own chest, like a thousand tonnes of pain, causing every beat of your heart to throb with a dull sense of agony. You are not yourself anymore. You are an adult troll, standing tall, wearing clothes you have never seen before and yet have worn all your life. And something terrible has happened to someone you whose life means so much more than your own...

You can see something up ahead, a structure that is terrifyingly like gallows, but even more terrifyingly not. The sight fills you with dread – you know in your heart who will be hanging from them, his wrists encased in a fiery grasp... and yet you cannot believe it. It can't be true. You have to _see_.

Somewhere in the crowd, someone begins to sing. It is the same song you have always heard, in another lifetime, except this time you can hear the words...

'_Han bear ey all vor smarte...'_

You begin to speed up. The fine fabric that surrounds you rustles, breaking the almost perfect silence that has fallen around the singer's voice.

'_Oo en day trei striat ande glemt...'_

You can see and hear the sounds of people weeping. Males and females alike, of every cast but mostly low...Tears mingle, voices clash into one. They are united by their agony.

Tears also streak down your own cheeks, although in this strange dream-like state, you cannot quite remember why.

'_Lee kell vell are vey til lit.'_

The singer's voice fades and, just before the crowd parts before you... what sounds like a thousand other voices rise to continue the chant. It rises to a level that is almost beyond comprehension, amplified by physic power until it seems to ring in your bones and blood and all through out your body, just as the last few trolls step aside and you are able to see, in all its ghastly reality, the root of your despair.

'_Vor shlekt ah chilt meh bloo far guh...'_

An agonized scream bursts forth from your throat, but is instantly lost among the notes of the song. You rush before him and fall to your knees.

_'Vee har ing en sha liet ell aey deed...'_

Too high to reach, too late to comfort... The red blood you had adored so much is drying black around you, on the scaffold, on his body. You can smell it, the blood and, worse, the charred flesh of his once-perfect wrists that you cannot bare to look at...

But you must. And you must see his face.

'_Lee kell vell are vey til lit.'_

You look up just as the last words sound. Look up and see him, the boy you had raised with your own two hands with as much love as you could bestow. The boy who had been so bright, so full of life and hope and love, love for you and love for his followers and most of all, love for his fellows.

Now, all you see is an empty shell, devoid of all love, and hope, and life. His visage is twisted by a bitter rage and pain. Not once had he ever raised his voice in anger, not once had he ever know even a shred of hate.

Perhaps this is the worse thing, seeing how they forced him to become the very thing he had vowed to fight with all his soul.

Distantly you hear someone crying, sobbing in agony, but it doesn't matter. _Nothing_ matters because he's dead your _son_ is _dead_ those monsters killed him _why? Why why why WHY why would they HOW could they he was so sweet, so kind, he was going to make __**everything**__ better for __**everyone**__ on Alternia and they crushed him as if he was **nothing**...!_

That is when you pass out, the darkness blurring at the sides of your vision by tunneled straight at your son's empty face, and the memory abruptly fades.

But the grief-filled sobbing does not.

====== Kanaya: Wake.

Your throat burns and you eyes sting. Someone is crying, and you can hear and feel movement around you, hands stroking your body, soothing voices cutting through the fog in your mind.

Whoever it is continues to cry, desperately, as if they're heart is being torn in two. You want to comfort them, want to hold them in your arms because _no one_ should have to feel grief in that way... why isn't anyone helping them?

'Kan,' someone whispers. 'Kanaya, it's ok... _shoooooooooosh_...' You suddenly realize that _you're_ the one crying, and the sobs turn to chokes as you try to stop be you _can't_ you just _can't_. Why are you crying? Is someone hurt? You push against the hands and force yourself upright. Eridan is there, close beside you, and he looks so worried and now you feel slightly guilty too. But only slightly, because the pain of grief is enough to eclipse almost every other emotion.

'Where's-where's Karkat?' you gasp. Your vision is too blurred with tears for you to make anything out clearly. All you know is that you _desperately_ need to see him. Your thoughts are jumbled and muddled, but it feels like the last memory you have of him is his dead body hanging from those irons...

'I'm here,' he says gruffly, appearing in your line of sight. 'What is it? What happened?' You realize that you probably woke everyone up. But that doesn't matter now because he's there and he's alive.

_He's alive._

You can't say anything. You just hug him. Hug him and cry.

* * *

I pre-wrote the dream sequence, making this chapter very easy if I recall it correctly.

Words are from 'Iron Infidel', easily my favorite Homestuck track. So sad, too...

Anons:

D4n1 - thank you, my Canadian friend! You review made me happy ^_^

ZDW - I think it's tragic because Tavros will die such a horribly long time before Gamzee. Should've said that. Anyway, thank you!

ZDK - Firstly, are you are ZDW the same person? Secondly... yes, you're right. The Ancestors' tale is the most tragic in the whole on Homestuck, in my opinion. That love was certainly the saddest.


	63. Vriska: Explain

Did I manage to miss a day? I'm not sure... I feel as if I have...

I seemed to do a lot of heart/soul-destroying with the last chapter. Everyone ok?

News:

I got my exam results back today!

Not a single grade below a C, which I think is pretty awesome!

And I got a B in Maths, which I didn't think was scientifically possible. The fact that I passed Graphics at all was pretty amazing as well.

But the only subject I got an A* (like an A+ I think), was also the only subject I can't do for my A Levels.

Welp.

* * *

====== Vriska: Explain.

After someone has turned the lights on and Kanaya has calmed down, you find yourself on the receiving end of a lot of hard, questioning looks.

Your lips suddenly feel very dry. You lick them nervously and say, 'I guess I owe an explanation, huh?' Everyone looking at you nods. 'Right. Um. Ok.' You cross your legs and try to get comfortable, because you think you'll be here for a while. Unfortunately the burning gaze of ten other trolls (Kanaya is currently trying to hide herself in Eridan's neck or something) doesn't do much to help.

'You said the dreams were important,' Karkat growls. Clearly Kanaya's little display has unnerved him the most. 'You did _not_ say that they would be so traumatic we'd wake up _crying_.'

'Yes, I... well.' You're finding this way harder than it should be. Tavros puts a comforting hand of you arm and you instantly, automatically clutch at it.

You take a breath and begin again. 'They're not dreams,' you say. 'They're memories.'

'...The fuck?' is all Karkat says. Of course, he still doesn't believe in ancestors. Well, he'll just have to suck it up. He's not the only troll you're talking to.

'They are memories,' you repeat. 'The memories of our ancestors.' Karkat's shoulder immediately slump and he makes a great show of rolling his eyes.

'Oh, right,' he says. 'I thought it might be something _real_.' And that does.

'_How can you say that when you __**made**__ them?_' you shriek, diving forwards to shake him by the shoulders. You ignore Tavros' squeak and Gamzee's growl. You yourself just relived the loss of your arm and eye via Neophyte Redglare and you are _not_ in a good mood because of it! It's only because you've been sleeping sopor-less for so long that you don't wake up screaming anymore!

You continue to shake him until Gamzee and Tavros succeed in ripping you away. _Screw_ the prophecies, the Second Signless is an _idiot_ who _never listens_ and as he is _right in front of you_ it is your _duty_ to **_yell at him for it!_**

'_Do you know how much I've done for you?'_ you scream, completely over the edge and having no plans of returning. '_How much I've slept without sopor? How many times I've watched __**her**__—' _You point at Terezi '—_slice my fucking arm off? Or how many times I've felt __**him**_—' You jerk a thumb at Tavros '—_stick a fucking __**lance**__ through my chest? Our __**ancestors**__ weren't __**happy**__ and __**on one**__ knows that better than __**me**__!_' You stop at last, panting, and trying not to just burst into tears. Everyone is staring at you. Your nails have drawn blood from Tavros' hand and you quickly let go, snatch your hand back so that you can cover you face with both and block out the horrible looks your getting _from your friends oh God..._

_Youwillnotcryyouwillnotcry youwillnotcryyouwillnotcry youwillnotcryyouwillnotcry youwillnotcryyouwillnotcry youwillnotcry**youwillnotcry**..._

You manage not to cry.

'...You get them too?' Kanaya's voice is small and brittle. You nod, without looking up. 'I've been having them for months,' Kanaya continues, sniffing quietly. 'Even with sopor. They were always so fuzzy, but now...' she trails off. You know how she feels – it's like two planets have collided and somehow managed to merge into one, bits and pieces from each are scattered everywhere, interrupting everything. That's what it's like having two sets of memories.

Tavros wraps his arms around you. You still don't look up. 'I only started a few days ago,' he whispers, so quietly you're sure doesn't want anyone to hear. 'But they're not clear yet. It's horrible isn't it?' You nod again and lean into him.

'Jesus fuck,' Karkat breaths. 'This is so unbelievably messed up.'

====== Terezi: Clarify a few things.

'So basically...' you say slowly, breaking the uneasy silence, '...we're gonna relive our ancestors' whole gruesome lives in our sleep?' Vriska nods. You don't think she trusts her voice and honestly, you don't blame her.

'Actually, that does kinda explain a few thins',' Eridan says, totally unexpectedly. He suddenly has the attention of the whole room and doesn't look like he's enjoying it. 'I'd always thought Gam flipped his shit maybe more than once, 'cause I have a few horrible memories inwolwin' that, but the ancestor thin' does make more sense.' He shifts uncomfortably. 'Stop starin' like that!' Most people look away. You turn your head back to face Vriska, who has managed to compose herself and no longer looks as if she's about to burst into tears.

'Anything more to add, Miss. Blueberry?' you ask, trying to sound kind.

'Nothing except that it gets better,' she replies, focusing solely on you while most of the others start staring again. 'You tend to relive the worst moments first. The most prominent memories I guess. And eventually you get used to it and stop waking up screaming or sobbing or whatever.

'It also gets clearer over time,' she continues. 'The sopor should be mostly gone from everyone's bloodstreams but it may take a while for the memories to overcome the standard horrorterrors.'

'That makes sense,' you reply, ignoring everyone else and trying to act as if this is just a normal conversation between friends. It helps a bit. 'I've been having some pretty vicious dreams lately but nothing like... that.' You can't say you're looking forward to it either. You don't know much about your ancestor, but Vriska has gloated about how hers killed yours enough times for you to know that her death was not pleasant.

'I'd say they've been trying to break through for about a sweep now,' Vriska says, sounding somewhat miserable. 'Though I think different people have different triggers. Those of us who died will probably remember before those who didn't. Though I'm not sure.' She sighs heavily and leans against Tavros. 'And I'm really tired...'

'Let's just go back to sleep,' Sollux says grumpily, clearly not happy and having been woken up in the middle of the day. 'We're all too tired to deal with this shit.'

Everyone settles down again. Kanaya clings to Eridan as if she's worried he'll disappear. Gamzee turns off the lights and you are plunged into a darkness only penetrated by Kanaya's eerie glow. But you think the brightness is comforting and suspect that many of the others do too. She's like a nightlight.

You know that no one, including yourself, will sleep very well tonight. You are all too afraid of what you will see if you dare to close your eyes.

But close them you do, eventually, and while your sleep may not be completely peaceful, it doesn't contain the horrors that you had been afraid of.

* * *

I'm getting incredibly paranoid that I am portraying Vriska as way too weak.

The only female troll of have ever cried _ever_ in the whole of canon has been Terezi. Once was just after her eyes were burned out and the other was after doomed!Dave was decapitated.

Vriska has a lot of reasons; I know them but I don't think that most of my readers do. _Hopefully_ I'll get a chance to expand upon them, but I can't be sure. Besides, she hates talking about it.

Your thoughts?

At any rate, I think she wins 'Author Abuse' now.

Anons~

D4N1 - Personally I can never quite make my mind up lol. Though I tend to lean towards the Handmaid for tragedy and horrificness lol. And no, you're not mixing up your stories =)  
(Your MP3 player seems pretty smart, by the way! XD)


	64. Nepeta: Lighten the atmosphere

Sorry for the delay! I took the opportunity to get a bit further ahead with the chapters (and the other fanfic I've started lol), so I didn't update. But here it is at last!

Also, for the sake of clarity:

**_Time-Skip no Jutsu!_**

* * *

====== Nepeta: Lighten the atmosphere.

Nobody slept very well last day. And now everyone is tense and irritable and tired. Except you, it seems. Because Equius' arms are better than sopor.

You decide to leave your little quadrant-quest for the time being, be-claws there are clearly _far_ more im-paw-tant things to be doing right now. Like trying to make people happier!

'Terezi,' you begin, walking up to the troll in question. Terezi seems to have been particularly sullen lately, and you can kinda guess why. She looks up and you see her eyes narrow behind her glasses.

'If this is about quadrants,' she begins, 'no.' You feel the heat rise to your face. You still haven't forgiven Eridan. And when you'd managed to get Equius to go berate him, he came face-to-face with a Kanaya who wasn't going to have any of it.

Your moirail-shaped shield had met another moirail-shaped shield that was also somewhat lusus-shaped, and had actually been overpowered, it seems.

Anyway, you shake your head furiously.

'It's just that we never had the big girly get-together!' you say, and Terezi's expression changes immediately 'And now we're all here!'

'I guess... we could...' she says slowly. You suspect by the way her brow furrows slightly that that she's carefully checking the future for any problems. You wait for her while she's scanning the future, hoping that she brings good news.

Then a grin breaks out across her face. 'Why not?' she says. 'Let's have a big girly get-together!'

'_Paw_-some!' you say 'I'll get the others!'

Her expression instantly changes, becoming a mix of confusion and doubtfulness. Your heart sinks slightly. Doesn't she want to do it?

'Wait, we're doing it _now?_' she asks, slightly incredulously. You nod quickly and say:

'Why not?' You see no reason why you shouldn't. There's no time like the present!

'Well... I think we're supposed to wait until morning...' Ok, that is quite a good reason and you don't actually know anything about this.

Oh well.

'_Sooo?_' You bound back over and put your hands on her shoulders, staring imploringly. Time to deploy Kitten-Eyes. This trick has never failed, except sometimes on Equius. But he's Equius and Equius is an exception to pretty much everything.

'The amount of grey streaked through with olive green currently wafting in my general direction is thoroughly overwhelming,' Terezi says, not even blinking. 'What choice do I have but to accept?'

You give a little whoop of joy that earns you more than a few strange looks, and run off to gather the other girls who are scattered around the hive. Behind you, you hear Terezi clearing out the few boys who're in the recreationblock.

This is going to be _so much fun!_

====== Vriska: Deal with contact.

The purple text begins to fill the screen, and if your weren't holding your husktop, you would x2 facepalm combo hard enough to leave a bruise. Two bruises. On your lovely blueblood skin. Why her? It could have been _anyone_. Why _her?_

fatalWhimsy [FW] began trolling agentGuile [AG]

FW: heyeyeyey veriska sisya!  
AG: My god  
AG: Why?  
FW: dunmno whast ur talkkin abourt sista!  
FW: the nighht is yong  
FW: an so aree wer  
AG: If you send me a single heart  
AG: I will do something terri8le  
AG: Don't think I won't.  
FW: aw sis! :C  
AG: You're high  
AG: You promised me last time that you would never contact me high again.  
FW: im on mtherfuCkun Clouid 10!  
AG: Gr8  
AG: Come 8ack when you're a 8it lower.  
AG: Like may8e ground level.  
AG: Would that 8e so hard?  
FW: nah sis i got sometyhin impryasnt ta yell ya!  
AG: Then spit it out.  
AG: And use your other account next time!  
AG: I do not want your vicious purple on my computer ::::I  
FW: eheheheh  
FW: g0ttta lighten up mag spivdery sis!  
FW: buy asnyway  
FW: um

AG: Sweet Signless.  
FW: soz sis its gone :C  
AG: It wouldn't 8y any chance be the reason you got high would it?  
FW: prtbabluy  
FW: don'y teally remember  
FW: sorry :C  
AG: Look, just  
AG: Contact me again l8er.  
AG: When you're so8er.  
AG: And using your other account.  
FW: um  
FW: ok  
AG: Go dump your head in a 8arrel of water or something.  
FW: actuallu that sounbds like a prttu good idea  
FW: see ya later i giess  
AG: 8ye.

fatalWhimsy [FW] ceased trolling agentGuile [AG]

You sit back, kneading your temples. Out of all of them, and you mean _all_ of them, _she_ is probably the most annoying to deal with. Even when she isn't ridiculously high. She is somehow even more exasperating than HH's hypocrisy and MD's naivety put together.

And yet she is a pretty vital member of the group.

And it's not like you're in any position to kick her out.

You just have to suffer it.

Aren't you just a little saint?

The timid knock at the door provides a welcome distraction. You quickly tell them to enter. Well, maybe that makes it sound a bit fancy. Really you just yell, _'whaaaaaaaat?'_ in the general direction of the door.

Terezi strolls in, cane in hand, grin on face. And she's wearing her FLARP outfit. She isn't who you really want to see right now because you and she have a history of winding each other up (so say the least) and you're irritated enough as it is. Tavros or Eridan would've been better. But you're not complaining – anyone is better right not than an insanely high purpleblood failing to deliver a message.

'What's up, Redglare?' you ask with a grin. She gives a cackle.

'Nepeta is enforcing a big girly get-together in the recreationblock,' she says, 'and on page 6, section two, paragraph three of Things Girls Do Together, it states that all females present must be invited. Nepeta is still terrified of you so I came. You interested?'

Now, normally you would say no. Well, _normally_ normally you would say _'fuck yeah!' _and proceed to wreck the whole event and make them wish they'd killed you the moment you walked through the door. But anyway, normally _nowadays_ you would decline, because you are a busy troll, with even _more_ irons in the fire than you used to, who doesn't really have time for things like this.

But you haven't had a pleasant few nights and you're kinda stressed and the thought of being able to unwind is great. Plus, they invited you even though you've been a horrible bitch to pretty much everyone at some point in the past, and obviously haven't redeemed yourself very well yet, and turning the offer down wouldn't do anything to help with that.

And you're pretty starved of contact. Moirails and matesprits are great, but a crowd of people who at least don't mind your presence is something you haven't felt for ages. Or... maybe even ever, come to think of it.

Besides... it's a chance to act like a child again... and who knows when your next chance to do _that_ will be.

So instead of doing either of the above mentioned, you smile and say, 'sure, why not?'

Terezi's smile grows wider, and that's that.

So long as nobody's plotting anything, this should be great!

* * *

Final OC has been introduced!

Fun fact: To write her chat loges when she's high, I close my eyes and type as fast as I can.

It occurred to me that most chat client convos don't have those double line breaks, but unfortunately I'd passed most of the conversations by the time I realized. So for this chapter at least, I've done them together. Your thoughts? Personally I think it helps separate them from the rest of the text, but makes the overall chat a bit ahrder to read... your thoughts?

Troll theory time:

Trolls who wish to control their murderous instincts often turn to recreational drugs if they don't have a moirail. I believe that that's sorta how Gamzee started, then forgot why he was on the pies but kept eating them anyway.

FW is a purpleblood, purplebloods have violent/insane tendencies (like most highbloods), FW turned to drugs because being a Signlessist doesn't make interacting with other trolls and forming quadrants very easy.

I get the feeling, though, that sopor _slime_ is more like glue - it's meant for practical uses, but can be used for other ones.

I will state it here, though, that FW isn't on sopor slime. What she _is_ on will be revealed later, in her introduction. Probably. A lot of stuff in revealed in the introductions. But you'll just have to wait to see them.


	65. All guys Karkat: Relocate

Update.

Need I say more?

This may well be where the fic becomes actually AUish, just because of small things at the moment but I can see a lot of stuff in canon contradicting a heck of a lot of my theories in future. The question is: should I retcon stuff, and actually go back and change things, retcon and just continue as if that's what I've been writing all along, or just leave it and give different reasons etc when the arise? I do need to know the answer to this.

* * *

====== All guys + Karkat: Relocate in nutritionblock.

The girls have lain claim to the recreationblock for some reason, barring anyone else from entering who isn't a girl.

So now you've all gathered here, in the nutritionblock. You're slumped at the eating platform, wondering whether to do anything. To do _what_, though, you have no idea.

Suggestions of reclaiming the recreationblock were quickly shot down. They're not going to _hurt_ each other in there and, from what people have heard/been hastily told, they only trying to have fun. They're not, say, _plotting_ something.

Or at least they'd _better_ not be.

'So...' Sollux begins uncertainly 'What now?'

'Dunno,' you reply, folding your arms and resting your chin on them. You're not in a good mood. Then again, you're hardly ever in a good mood.

'Maybe try to sort some shit out?' your asshole of a friend suggests. You give him a look that is pointless but that doesn't matter.

'_What_ shit?'

'The ancestor shit.'

'_No_,' you say firmly. 'Only Vriska really knows about any of that and she's... doing something in there with the others and... fuck you, I don't wanna talk about it.' The thought of reliving your dead ancestor's life in your dreams is incredibly unsettling, particularly as you have already managed to work out that this death was as bloody and horrific as it was possible to be at the time. You can't see why _anyone_ would want to talk about it and you are going to avoid the topic for as long as possible.

You expect a comeback, but Sollux just shrugs. He seems '0k' with it. He's '0k' with most things now. Not everything, because even a blind person can see that the world is a shitty place to be in. He was probably in shock right after he was blinded by science and not thinking particularly straight, but he still takes things much easier than he used to. And it's still a little unnerving. You often find yourself waiting for responses that never come, unless he genuinely _feels_ like bickering with you.

He's probably tired. Everyone is. Nobody slept very well last day.

'A plan of action may be advisable,' Equius rumbles from where he's standing stiffly by the thermal hull. You hold back a groan. Two votes against you, not a single one for you. You can see where this is going.

'Well, maybe some sort of plan would be a good idea?' Eridan is sitting at the end of the table to your right. You scowl at him. He puts his hands up in a defensive gesture. 'Just hear me out alright! Jegus! Look, things are probably gonna go to shit ewen without freaky dreams. That sea dweller ain't gonna just stay in the sea while we're here. He might ewen gather forces an' try to take us on. An' then there's all this cultist shit W-Vris mentioned.'

Ok, admittedly that doesn't sound too bad. But you aren't really the mood to agree with _anyone_ at the moment, particularly Sollux and Eridan.

You huff a frustrated sigh.

'Well count me out,' you growl, getting to your feet. Gamzee takes a step towards you but you shake your head. You want to spend some time on your own – something which hasn't been happening much lately. Gamzee understands because he always does, and you leave.

====== All girls: Have big girly get-together.

'Soooooooo... what do we do now?' Vriska asks, draping herself over the arm of the couch. The girls have arranged themselves into a wonky circle in the living room, looking expectant.

'Well, I believe that the typical practice of these things is to play simple non-lethal games in which far too much about the players is revealed for all involved to be comfortable in each others presence ever again.' Kanaya pauses. 'Rose told me that. I don't think she was being entirely serious.'

'We'll start with something simple,' Aradia suggests happily. She's determined to make this work. 'How about Truths and... Actually, how about just Truths?'

'Sure,' says Terezi... then pauses before adding, slyly, 'about _romance!_'

'No,' Feferi says immediately. More than one girl raises her eyebrows.

'Nothing _serious_,' Terezi stresses. 'Just like... crushes from when you were four or something!'

'O-oh, right!' Feferi is blushing quite heavily by now.

'I'll start,' Vriska says. All eyes fall upon her. 'I had a genuine flushcrush on a human movie star when we were on the meteor.' Several giggle. Terezi cackles. Vriska holds her head high as she turns to look at Kanaya. 'You?'

'I have read rainbow drinker smut,' she admits, not looking at anyone. Terezi cackles again. Vriska '_ooooooooh'_s quietly. Everyone is smiling.

They continue, going round the circle several times. People begin to run out of things they did when they were four. Or even six. Kanaya begins to see what Rose meant. But everyone else is far too overexcited to care, and so she puts it out of her mind.

This may well be the last truly fun thing they do for literally sweeps, the way things are currently going.

====== Meanwhile...

forwardWalking [FD] began trolling agentGuile [AG]

FW: hi

FW: sorry about that

FW: while im not quite ground level yet i am at least around Cloud three

FW: dunno why they deCided ta make me give the info

FW: but anyway it is pretty important

FW: um

FW: hello?

FW: dammit

FW: well, ill tell ya anyway Cause it is important

FW: eXtremely so

FW: in HHs words anyway

FW: there i go rambling again

FW: look, basiCally, you gotta be eXtra Careful now

FW: rashal hasnt answered for nights now an thereve been reports a Cullin around viXy's area

FW: rashals probably dead

FW: viXys just gotta sit tight an hope they dont find her

FW: an basiCally only three a us Can make it

FW: thats me, HH an MD

FW: oh, an MD thinks she mightve gotten her jerkass bf to join too

FW: or at least give some support

FW: or at least turn a blind eye ta us

FW: so, uh

FW: reply once ya see this i guess

FW: later

forwardWalking [FW] ceased trolling agentGuile [AG]

* * *

I... really, really like FW... Which is pretty strange considering the people I based her speaking style off...

If you can, imagine her with an English accent. Except... not posh, typical English. Or Cockney. More like... actually I don't know. 'Chavvy' is what springs to mind for me but I don't know if that's a thing in America...

Basically the way she talks is almost exactly the same as some of the girls who went to school with me.

On second thoughts, imagine her voice however you like.

**ANYWAY...**

The update.

Three new names to remember, more in the next update *sigh*

My cosplay friend has claimed Latula. She has no idea how to skateboard. I do. I have claimed Porrim. I have no confidence showing my skin like that. Friend at least has more confidence than I do.

This is how it usually works.

Everyone seems to be going on about Kankri while I do goggly eyes at Dave and the fact that he is a precious baby who has _had trouble sleeping, is probably traumatized, and has been forgotten by practically every other fan._

__Rosemary seems to have sailed djewjewejko

But I predict that it'll be blown out of the water and into deep space in an extremely horrific fashion sometime soon because that seems to be how Hussie rolls.


	66. Nepeta: Reveal next secret

The long-awaited sort-of-KarNep-scene.

I tried. It's just not my ship I'm afraid. And I feel as if I got Nepeta stupidly OOC and I can't write her even though she's my patron jwjiqewiqwio

I identify as more of a Cancer, you know. I just don't fit the Leo description.

Also, I may choose to slow the update rate (again, I know) some time in the not-too-distant future because a) college will be starting really soon (this week) and b) I am juggling a couple of other fics.

College will most likely slow the updates down _a lot_, possibly to something like once a week or even less. I'm gonna be getting_ a lot_ of work. Hopefully I won't lose my drive though.

* * *

====== Nepeta: Reveal next secret.

You're beginning to run out of confessions, but it doesn't really matter. Earlier, Terezi made you swear, upon pain of death, that whatever happens in this room _stays_ in this room.

So you are feeling less ashamed than you perhaps should be.

But if you weren't, then you would never dare reveal what you are about to.

All eyes are on you again as it becomes your turn. By this time, everyone (including yourself) is smiling and giggling, or doing whatever they do which is equivalent to those things. This means that you aren't perhaps thinking as straight as you should be.

'Well...' you begin, drawing it out for as long as you can while trying to pluck up enough courage to finish the sentence. 'Um, IhaveamassivecrushonKarkitty -ImeanKarkat-andhavesinceIfirstmethim.' It comes out as a huge rush of words which doesn't help your embarrassment.

But even worse is the awkward silence that follows after.

'...Well, yeah,' Vriska says eventually, not unkindly but in a way that makes you feel even more stupid than you had previously. You open and close your mouth a few times, unable to say anything and watching your dignity quickly and steadily trickle away.

'It was sort of obvious,' Kanaya says, gently.

====== Nepeta: Do not be upset.

You fail to not be upset.

You good mood has been burst with a bang and now you just feel stupid and hurt. The pitying looks you are getting do not help. This whole thing was stupid! What were you thinking?!

====== Nepeta: Abscond.

You get up abruptly and turn towards the door, the one that leads away from the nutritionblock. You hear the others calling for you but tune out the words and quicken your pace. You fail at not slamming the door either, and manage to get your tail caught in it. You hear stitches tear as you tug it free and can't bring yourself to care. Stupid tail!

If Equius were hear he would scold you for the quiet naughty words escaping from your lips, but he isn't here so you can swear all you like.

The reasonable part of your mind knows how childish you're being. But the rest just doesn't care. You probably _are_ suffering from lack of sleep and overload of stress because this is _not_ normal of you, but you don't care about that either. You have every right to be behaving like this and you _are_ and will _continue_ to until you calm down or someone apologizes to you or... whatever!

Everything is horrible now.

====== Karkat: Do not encounter Nepeta.

You fail to not encounter Nepeta.

Though you can't say you're all that surprised. You've been avoiding her for so long that it was _bound_ to happen from the moment you left the nutritionblock. You had thought that maybe you were safe if you just stayed put in one block, but that actually got rather boring so you decided to move and yeah. Now you've just pushed open a door and there she is, hunched up on a windowsill, looking sad.

...Crap. You were never good at dealing with these things. You really, _really_ want to abscond the fuck out of there but she's already looked up and seen you and you _can't_. Not now.

'Um. Hi.' Real smooth, Karkat.

'Hi,' Nepeta replies dully. Ok, she isn't acting right. Not _at all_. Normally she would leap to her feet and greet you, or maybe blush if she was feeling a bit shyer and peak out from under her eyelashes. Which you have to admit it really cute. But she isn't, so that can only mean that something_ truly fucking terrible_ has happened.

'Did the big girly thing or whatever go wrong or something?' You immediately regret saying it. God_dammit_, Karkat, now is _not_ the time to be so fucking insensitive! If you make Nepeta cry you will not only be pummeled to death by her behemoth of a moirail, you will feel really fucking bad about it too. You've always felt guilty for her death. You don't need to feel that way about anything else.

But luckily you don't seem to have offended her. She pretty hard to go wrong with, actually. She's so fucking head-over-heels for you that virtually _nothing_ you do or say can upset her. You actually tested it, a few times, when you were younger and stupid(er). Her dumb flushcrush never even wavered.

'It's going fine,' she mumbles. 'I'm just being silly.' She sniffs and _holy shit,_ she had _better_ _not cry_. You honestly don't think you could deal with it, not with everything else emotion-wise going on right now. You can barely handle _your own_, sorting out anyone else's would be _impossible_.

'Well, the fuck happened then?' you ask, because there isn't much else you can say. And because you want to help. That too. You like her, _really, really_ like her just _really_ not in the way she wants you!

Nepeta sighs. 'Well, we were doing confession things and... yeah.' Well, that isn't helpful. But she isn't done yet. 'And it was my turn and I got a bit carried away, and...' She pauses. You can see, even in the dim light caste by the sun slipping past the curtains, that she's blushing slightly. '...and I've had a mega flushcrush on you from pretty much the first time we met and I told them that but of course they weren't surprised so now I just feel stupid.' You open your mouth, reconsider, and then close it again. This conversation will probably lead to exactly what you've been avoiding all this time:

Sorting out her feelings for you.

And your lack of feelings towards her.

...Shit.

'And I bet you knew it too.' She looks up. You swallow. Her pupils are huge in the light, swimming with angry tears that she is _refusing_ to let fall. You nod mutely. She hangs her head again, looking even more angry and frustrated and _sad_ than ever.

'I... Fuck.' You cross the room in a few swift strides, hesitate a moment... and wrap your arms around her in a firm, if awkward, hug.

She stills for a moment before twisting quickly, turning towards you and returning the embrace. In all honesty, you have been dying to do this ever since you found out she'd died. But the few times you'd managed to find her in the dream bubbles, you had felt way too awkward. Or another you was looking. Or Terezi. Or just... anyone. Yet another way in which you have FAILED at relationships.

You really hope this doesn't start anything. Really, _really_ hope it doesn't. But you don't think she's gonna let go anytime soon, and you don't think you will either.

Screw Terezi and all the fucking quadrant confusion. This is just... nice.

* * *

Something I feel I should state here:

It is a theory of mine that while gender means nothing to trolls as far as reproduction is concerned, they are more _inclined_ to choose a member of the opposite sex for a concupiscent relationship.

Anon2023 - sorry! I forgot to reply last chapter DX  
What do you mean by that? Ashlin's spelling or the layout? I can fix the layout if that's the problem, but I'm afraid that the typos are staying for whatever the girl gets like that XD  
And by that, I mean both :3


	67. Karkat: Slide back into nutritionblock

I loved writing this chapter XD

**RECENT FANDOM NEWS: if you are not already aware of it, please note that the fandom has managed to scrape together over $100K in under 48 hours. Andrew Hussie has declared all pairings canon.  
**

**Even after Homestuck, there will be Homestuck.  
**

**Never again will people underestimate our strength when we are united.  
**

* * *

====== Karkat: Slide discreetly back into the nutritionblock.

This is what you do, though it's a bit of a wasted effort because nobody notices you enter – they're all crowded around the table, watching intently as Gamzee and, surprisingly, _Tavros_ engage in an intense arm wrestling match.

The audience is divided into two – Equius and Sollux seem to be supporting Gamzee, while Eridan, for some reason, seems to be favouring Tavros, if the cheering and table-thumping is anything to go by.

The opponents do seem to be pretty evenly matched, now that you think about it – Gamzee has the inherited strength of a purpleblood, but his childhood sopor addiction has taken a toll on his muscle mass. That and he hasn't hit that part of puberty yet, you don't think. Tavros on the other hand is hindered by his place on the spectrum, but his lifestyle – AKA four-wheeled-device usage – has given him broad shoulders and stronger arms, even if the rest of him is weaker.

But you actually think that Gamzee might be holding back a bit. He's always been more careful since his 'episode' and taking him off sopor has given him a bit more control. That and he's probably being even more careful than usual since the whole thing with Equius and... yeah.

Sollux notices you first. 'Hey KK!' he says, barely taking his 'eyes' off the clasped hands. They're probably betting on the outcome or some shit.

'Hi,' you say, pulling a chair out from under the platform and dragging it nearer to Sollux. The others look up long enough to nod or smile before gluing their eyes back on the match. You wonder how long they've been at it. Probably not too long or everyone would've lost interest by now.

'So... _what's_ happening exactly?' you ask, just as Tavros flexes slightly and manages to push Gamzee's arm down about a centimetre. The room erupts with cheers (maybe they aren't betting, then) and you have to wait a while to get your answer.

Sollux shrugs. 'You left. We got bored. We decided to do something. This happened.'

'Well, la-di-fucking-da,' you say, packing as much sarcasm in as you can. Arm wrestling is stupid, especially after what just happened to _you_.

'If I still had eyes, I'd be rolling them,' Sollux replies. 'Behold, this is my 'I-would-be-rolling-my-eyes' face. You can shut up KK,'cause you're up next.'

'What?!' Sollux grins. God_damn_ it looks weird without front teeth. Up this close, you can see his scarred gums. Ew. _EW!_

'Well, we agreed that as soon as you came back in, the next match would be yours,' he explains. You fume silently, gnashing your teeth. It'll be a way of relieving some stress, at any rate.

'Who am I with, then? It had better not be Equius!' you add, warningly. Sollux just laughs.

'Nah, we wouldn't let him play. He'd break his opponent's arm _and_ the table!' he turns his head towards you briefly, smiling in a way which _should_ be flashing fangs but isn't and looks all the more creepy for it. 'You're up against _me!_'

It is going to be a long, _long_ night.

====== Nepeta: Slide discreetly back into the recreationblock.

You try, but everyone looks up the moment you open the door and you mostly wish you'd never come back, now. It's even more awkward than before and all you can manage is a small, awkward, 'um'. There goes your carefully planned speech.

But then it turns out that you don't have to say anything.

'Hi!' Terezi says excitedly. 'We're gonna play 'Do-or-Die', but nicer! Wanna join!' You quickly scan everyone's faces. They appear to be acting as if past events never happened. Like the reason you left is because you took an ablutionblock break or something. And that is perfectly fine!

'Yeah, sure!' you reply, hurrying over and dripping into a crouch. You're quickly regaining your excited mood, but hopefully you'll be a bit more careful this time.

From the nutritionblock you can hear raises voices and what you think might be fists thumping on the table. The background noise leaves no room was awkward silences and you're pleased that the guys are having a good time!

Maybe things aren't ruined after all!

'Who's first?'

'_I_ am,' Vriska drawls, lazily rolling over her back and letting her hair flop and tangle. 'You lot can't seem to get enough of my truly _scaaaaaaaad_alous nature.' She grins, flashing her teeth. You automatically lean away slightly and Terezi cackles.

'I have one,' Kanaya begins. 'Go get us some non-Faygo drinks from the fridge – no, wait for it – _completely topless_.' A blue flush begins to creep across Vriska's skin.

'No _bra?_'

'No bra.' Vriska bites her lip, grinning mischievously.

'And if I don't?' she asks. Kanaya's reply is instant.

'Run around the hive naked.' She has clearly thought about this.

'Sorry honey, but I'm taken,' Vriska purrs. Kanaya slaps her arm indignantly.

'Just do it!'

Vriska does it.

You all crowd around the door to the nutritionblock, giggles smothered behind hands as, calmly and smoothly despite being flushed bright blue, Vriska waltzes into the block, seeming perfectly at ease, and goes towards the fridge.

Equius turns an even darker shade than Vriska and hastily looks away. With a sharp cry of _'the fuck?!'_ Karkat turns redder than a tomato. Tavros' jaw drops and he blinks in stunned silence. Sollux doesn't move, but his cheeks flush with mustard.

Eridan just looks pleased.

'Lookin' good Vris!' Vriska briefly pauses on her mission to slap him on the cheek, before reaching the fridge. She rummages around for a while (there isn't much except Faygo) before pulling out a few cans of Tab and a couple of cartons of juice. (Un?)fortunately, Gamzee is forbidden from keeping any alcohol.

With a wave of her hand, Vriska exits and, as soon as the door is closed, everyone bursts out laughing.

Kanaya manages to herd you all back into the recreationblock before things get too out of hand and from then on, all thought of dignity goes completely to the wind.

Among other challenges, Kanaya sews a pair of very frilly underwear, gift wraps them, and chucks the present onto the eating platform. The reaction could probably be heard for miles in every direction.

Feferi has to run around the hive naked because she refused to draw a pair of gentiles and stick them on the thermal hull. On the way back down, Tavros takes a peek outside to see what's up and instantly slams the door again.

You yourself are given the task of standing in the nutritionblock doorway in only your coat and underwear, and as soon as everyone is looking, dropping your coat.

The reaction is priceless. Sadly, it is also what drives Equius to put his foot down, and your group is forbidden from committing 'such disgraceful acts of lewdness' again, and your group is forced to give much tamer challenges... in places where the guys can see you, anyway.

Later, once the childish girlyness has worn off, as well as the sugar, you have a go at playing cards. Vriska inevitably cheats horrifically. Terezi probably does too but it's less detectable so everyone lets it go.

All in all, an evening well spent, in your opinion!

* * *

I have maybe done something along those lines... maybe twice in my life? lol. Hope it was believable. Just chalk it up to troll culture if it wasn't XD

Anon2023 - that is ironic, because she's actually my favourite OC lol. Hopefully you will warm to her once she's actually introduced.  
(I wish I could reply without displaying it on here so many casual spoilers I wanna drop dejwjwjaw)

**ALSO: I would like some answers to the retcon question, guys. I didn't get any.**

(Question can be located in Chapter 65, 'All guys + Karkat: Relocate')


	68. Vriska: Respond

OK I CAN EXPLAIN.

The day before yesterday, I got an urgent call to go see Sweeney Todd at the West End, because a friend of mine had booked four tickets and only three people were going. I had to leave pretty much as soon as I'd gotten permission from both parents and didn't have time to do anything. Even my Biology assignment.

(I'm mostly hating collage at the moment, btw.)

Anyway, the musical was AWESOME and, since we were ALL Homestucks, we had fun. An insane amount of it. I haven't laughed that hard for... possibly months... Not since I last saw them all, anyway.

And yesterday, I was editing the chapter and SUDDENLY, I got my first ever babysitting job. I sat on their couch until 11.30, watching TV and drawing and without internet access. But I drew some cool stuff. Alphard in a Seer of Doom godtier (I'll probably get round to explaining later), FW when she was younger and things she isn't now, Tvaros in a prom dress (don't ask) and the pale GamKar scene where they're chillin' in the horn pile. I drew more, actually, but it wouldn't really make sense to anyone who doesn't know me personally.

I got paid £20 ksekskswkew

* * *

====== Vriska: Respond.

agentGuile [AG] began trolling forwardWalking [FW]

AG: WH8T?!

====== Be FW.

Whoa there friend! Hold your hoofbeasts! It's way too early for you to be—

...

Huh. Guess she doesn't mind too much after all. You can have a peek.

====== FW: Engage in some mysterious activity.

Sometimes, life just ain't a bunch a miracles.

For those times, there's smokes.

You light the little rolled up tube and take a deep, long breath in. The smoke wraps around your mind like a comforting blanket, warm and soft, weighing down all thought. It lessens the need to think, which is _exactly_ what you need right now. So much shit has happened in the last 24 hours that you can barely take it any more. And tonight, you mourn the loss of one sister and the probable loss of another.

_Sweet Signless_, you are depressed.

Every member lost is a huge blow. And although neither Rashal Jeethi or Vixian Russen were key contributors... you had _liked_ them. They had been pretty close to becoming your friends, _real_ friends, not just associates or acquaintances or any of that shit. It's hard for anyone of your caste to get _really_ close to anyone and even harder for you, being up to your nook in all this Signlessist crap.

You take another draft, allowing your eyelids to droop and your mind to dull. Aresei is always telling you that this smoke'll end your life early or some shit. You really don't care. Something else'll end you way before the smoke can.

You've passed on the message. Now you can let yourself forget.

====== Sollux: Watch.

Oh, very funny, command-thingy. Absolutely hilarious.

But you'll let it slide, because you're actually in a pretty good mood.

You lost the arm-wrestling match with Karkat because when someone spends most of their time at a computer and can use psionics for both defence and offence, they don't really need to acquire much muscle-mass. But you put up a struggle and KK played fair so it's cool.

But now the tournament is over with nobody in particular declared as the victor. The Gamzee Vs Tavros match went on so long that it was proclaimed a stalemate, and no one won the bet. But now that you're not being torn apart with hormones and your life isn't in danger, you've slipped quite easily back into simply being '0k' with everything.

But that doesn't mean that everyone else is, unfortunately. Eridan is the first to break the peaceful silence with a sulky;

'_Now_ what?' He's annoyed because he lost against Karkat, you expect. Actually the only person he won against was _you_, but shoosh, Sollux, no stupid hormonal black feelings here. Ignore the detail that he's sitting across the eating platform from you. Disregard the fact that he actually hasn't shown even _one little hint_ that he might be interested in you.

You should really talk to someone about it though. _Really_, you should. Corner Feferi sometime, or maybe even ask Karkat... so long as you don't mention who it is you're blackcrushing on. KK's advice is actually pretty good so long as you take it with a pinch of savoury food dust.

But it can wait so yeah.

Breaking away from your problems as an adolescent, you take it upon yourself to fill the silence.

'Pick up lines.'

All eyes are instantly upon you. You smirk. 'Why not?'

'It is inappropriate,' Equius protests, sounding hilariously flustered. A peal of squealing laughter sounds from the recreationblock, and you raise your eyebrow in Equius' general direction in an 'if they're messing around, why can't we?' sort of way. At least you think you. But if it looks suggestive, nobody says anything.

'Who starts?'

'You do.' You do your best to shoot Eridan a glare.

'No,' you reply, firmly.

A very expectant silence falls. Ok, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Oops.

====== Slightly-future Terezi: Hear Vriska's reaction to the bad news.

...It's kinda hard not to, actually.

The sound Vriska means is a cross between a shriek and a snarl. She snaps her husktop closed and holds it as if she's seriously considering hurling it across the room.

'Something the matter?' you politely inquire. This sufficiently distracts her from causing any property damage, although it does mean that she turns the full force of her burning gaze onto you, instead.

Good thing you can't actually see it!

'Bad news,' she says, through gritted teeth. An expectant silence falls. 'In a few nights time, we are going to be invaded by a retard, an asshole and junkie.' Another pause.

'...Sorry, I think we've missed something,' Kanaya says, breaking it. 'Who are these people and why are they coming?'

'Ugh!' Vriska smacks her forehead with her closed husktop in what appears to be a mix of frustration and exasperation. 'It's to do with stuff that I haven't gotten round to telling you yet because shenanigans keep happening. But basically I managed to let slip to a bunch of people who Karkat is, before I really knew what it really meant, and now they want to come here and... I dunno, kiss his ass and worship the ground he stands on or some religious bullshit.'

'Have you actually spoken to Gamzee about this?' Kanaya continues, sounding rather disapproving.

'Nope,' Vriska replies sullenly. 'I keep meaning to bring it up but something always happens that's more important.'

Kanaya raises her eyebrows. 'Like what?'

'Like Gamzee choosing to start a fist-fight,' Vriska snaps. 'Or those freaky dreams or... quadrant stuff.'

'So you mean Eridan,' Kanaya replies flatly.

Vriska's cheeks goes faintly blue. 'Shush!' Her relationship with said sea troll still seems to embarrass her. Not necessarily because it's Eridan she's with, you don't think, but for some other reason that shouldn't actually mean anything.

Unless it's got something to do with what they do with each other but ew, Terezi, _no_. Just no.

Maybe she's just gained some decency? She used to have so many flushed flings it wasn't even funny. Except it sorta was. But it was more embarrassing than anything, when you and Vriska made up Team Scourge and she kept on dragging poor, innocent, pity-struck lowbloods into the mess.

You put it out of your mind and focus on the present events.

'When were you planning on telling everyone?' you ask, taking a bit of the pressure off Kanaya and adding a bit more onto Vriska.

'Now?' she suggests. A perfectly timed roar of laughter sounds from the nutritionblock. 'Or maybe not,' Vriska continues, in an evasive sort of way. 'They're having fun.'

'How bad is the news any-wave?' Feferi asks, sounding a little sceptical. Vriska fixes her with a hard, serious stare.

'Very,' she begins, 'they are _insufferable_. They each have their own self-centred view on Signlessism which countless arguments with me has failed to sway. I am positive that Karkat will attempt to murder _at least_ one of them.'

'...You do realize half of that made _no sense_ to us, right?' you say, after a short silence. Vriska growls impatiently.

'As I have said before, the whole bloody story is recorded on my husktop. Tomorrow I'll shove it in Karkat's face or something and he can read it aloud or some shit.' She glowers at the floor for a moment before abruptly looking up, somehow hitching a smile onto her face despite the waves of irritation still wafting from her. 'Now,' she begins, 'where were we?'

You all manage to while away another hour, in which you suspect that the others mostly forget about Vriska's outburst and the prospect of three new trolls turning up. But you don't, and by the way Vriska's smile drops like a stone every time she thinks she isn't being looked at, neither has she.

So at the first opportunity you take a sniff at her husktop and

...wat.

Ok, this is being sorted out _now_.

* * *

There. No pies. Personally I've always found writing 'pies' to mean 'drugs' makes me feel kinda silly.

I think I got some time shit messed up there but OH WELL. I feel as if I've spent more time on these notes than the story today.

**FOR THE RECTON/NO RETCON THING:**

Due to 'popular' (like two people replied) opinion, I am just gonna keep going with what I have and hey, if it becomes an AU, then it becomes an AU. I _might_ retcon at a couple of points just to add some humour, but I won't derail the plot to do it. I'll just add some stuff about when they met their ancestors, their reactions, etc.

Guest - thank you! Your words and advice are greatly appreciated!

anon2023 - thank you! An AU gives me much more freedom as well. Great advice!


	69. Guys: Do something ridiculous

Ok, I am going back to only updating the fic if I write a chapter. I now have WORK, and though I do have a lot of free periods, most of them don't allow me to leave the building (I have to cycle there and back, so while I /could/ leave if I wanted to, it's 6 miles in either direction so yeah). I am also juggling a couple of other things so yeah.

* * *

====== Guys: Do something ridiculous.

'Ok, ok, I got one,' You manage to wheeze, between his spasms of laughter. 'How-how about... 'if your pants were a .rar file, I would unzip'!' Your words are greeted by laughter. Score!

'Perfect for a nerd,' Eridan smirks.

'Do better, then!' It's become something of a challenge between the two of you and to be honest, yes, you are enjoying it.

'I don't have to,' he sniffs, smoothing back his hair, which has seen better days. You wonder idly just how much gel he gets through each perigee just to keep it in shape. 'The bitches are linin' up for me an' my choice ass.'

'You have _one_ concupiscent quadrant filled, asswipe,' Karkat growls. Eridan shrugs, still looking overly smug. 'Still doin' better than some.' Karkat gives him such a harsh glare you're almost surprised Eridan doesn't burst into flames...

'Um...' Tavros begins, efficiently providing a distraction. 'I could put, some irons, in your fire!' You have been smelling nothing but milk chocolate from his direction for the last half-hour or so; pretty much since the start of the pick-up lines. He shrinks down so far in his chair you think he might be going to slip under the table.

But his words are met with laughter and some ironic clapping anyway, and then it's on to Equius.

The poor guy has been sitting stiffly in his chair for the whole half-hour, never once relaxing his shoulders but never once trying to leave, either. He seems to be trapped between wanting to escape the 'lewdness' of the situation and actually enjoying himself. At any rate, he smells very blue; almost as blue as Tavros is brown.

'Go on Eq,' Eridan grins. 'Say one!' Equius hunches his shoulders even more.

'I refuse,' he says, quickly and firmly.

'Y'know you want to, EQ,' you add with a smirk. He shifts awkwardly, and in the expectant silence that follows... you think you hear some sort of commotion from the recreationblock.

'What the shit?' Apparently you aren't the only one. Karkat is looking at the door, his scowl both angry and confused. Equius gladly accepts the distraction and goes to the door, opening it and peering out into the hallway. You follow, standing beside him.

The door to the recreationblock is closed but for you, at least, it barely muffles the arguing voices. You can even pick out who's they are – Vriska, certainly, and Terezi seem to be yelling the most. There're a few bumps and bangs as well, although you don't think things have gotten _too_ violent... yet.

Tavros squeezes passed you and his left horn whacks your ear as he passes. As you rub it Eridan ducks under you elbow, just as Tavros opens the door.

...It's times such as these when you really, _really_ wish that your smell-o-vision was sharper, because this is the sort of scene you would _love_ to be able to picture it in better clarity. From what you can make out from the haze of smells, Vriska and Aradia are engaging in a wrestling match which is bordering on caliginous, while Kanaya attempts to shout orders over the din but is mostly occupied with holding back Nepeta, and Feferi is standing to one side, looking both shocked and completely helpless.

Meanwhile, Terezi has tipped the coffee table onto its' side, is sitting behind it, and furiously drumming her cane on one of the legs while screeching for, _'ORDER IN THE COURT!_'

At the sight of everyone crowding into the doorway, the panic lessens somewhat to form a rather awkward silence. Aradia and Vriska stop wrestling and rather sheepishly untangle their limbs. At the sight of Equius standing with his mouth hanging open in a mixture of shock and horror, Nepeta goes limp and looks rather guilty.

'_Thank _you!' Terezi yells, probably forgetting that she isn't shouting over anyone anymore. Or maybe it's just her Legislacerator voice. 'Marquise Mindfang, take a seat!' She bangs her cane on the table for emphasis. And it sounds like that _is_ her Legislacerator voice, _ow._

'I refuse!' Vriska replies hotly. 'You have no right to do this, Neophyte Redglare!'

Holy shit they're role-playing. _Seriously? NOW?!_

'I have every right!' Terezi cackles, managing to sound smug at the same time. 'Now will you attend this court willingly or must I have my vice-Legislacerator Megido continue to persuade you?' Aradia and Vriska share a contemptuous look, but the latter pulls up a cushion and takes a seat on the floor.

'Jury, enter the jury box!' It takes you a moment to realize that she means _your_ group. With no clue about what else to do, you all shuffle past and go sit on the couch.

'Wait!' Terezi suddenly shrieks. 'Bailiff—' she points at Equius '—take your position!' Equius apparently has _some_ idea of how court proceedings work because he goes and stands near the wall, with a good view of everyone in the room.

'Right!' she concludes, never once having lowered the volume of her voice. 'I now proclaim this court session _begun!_' And she raps her cane on the table once more. Everyone falls silent.

====== Terezi: Start court proceedings!

'Marquise Spinneret Mindfang,' you begin with relish, savouring each word as it drips from your tongue, almost as delicious as red chalk. 'You stand accused of the following _truly heinous_ crimes: withholding vital information regarding the fates of twelve adolescent trolls, frequent use of _reverse hemotyping_, resisting court proceedings and, finally, _using psychic gifts to cheat at cards!'_

'Objection!' Vriska says hotly. 'You were doing that last one as well!'

'_And talking back to the Legislacerator slash High Subjugglator slash Her Honourable Tyranny!_' You wouldn't be surprised if the table leg fell off, at this rate. But you don't stop drumming on it!

'Wait,' Eridan interrupts, raising his hand a bit too late. But you guess you can let it slide, particularly as in an Alternian court of law, one of his caste would have barely any restrictions at all. He might even be allowed to cross the bar without consequence! 'How come you're suddenly all a those things?'

'Because there isn't anyone else who would either accept or be worthy of the positions,' you say smugly. 'Unless Mr. Makara would like to take the place of High Subjugglator?' You look at the troll in question. His eyes widen in surprise and he shakes his head quickly.

'No way, Teresister!' he says. 'It's all yours!' You nod once, still smiling, before turning back to the accused/guilty party. You doubt that Gamzee has any _idea_ as to how a court works. Then you drop your smile and replace it with a scowl. Now is not the time for frivolity. 'What do you have to say for yourself, Mindfang?' This is only half-game – you fully intend to get the truth out of her. It's just that this scenario is what you work best in.

Vriska crosses her arms and smirks up at you. She'll either plead innocent of everything and drag this on for a _lot_ longer than it should, _or_—

'Guilty of all charges,' she sneers. 'Whaddaya gonna do about it, Neophyte?' Huh. Can't say you were expecting that.

'Um. Well.' Dammit, she's thrown you! Keep it together, Redglare, keep it together... 'We will decide on your punishment after judging the severity of your crimes!' you begin. You honestly don't have much experience for when the accused pleads guilty. It's always been more fun for the plushes to put up a fight...

'Miss Maryam, bring forth Exhibit A!' Kanaya obediently steps forward, holding Vriska's open laptop. Displayed upon the screen are numerous files, all of which require passwords to open and are labelled, in your opinion, _very suspiciously indeed_.

Vriska says nothing, the Jury gives no opinions, so you move on. 'Exhibit B!' This time Kanaya fiddles with the husktop and, when she turns it round, it is displaying a saved Trollian screen. Neither of the colours are Vriska's blue. Said troll's eyes widen slightly.

'As you can see,' Kanaya begins, exactly as planned, 'this log shows that the Troll handle initials, AG, are not in the legal cerulean, and do in fact mirror—' Kanaya abruptly stops, and closes her eyes. 'Well played,' she murmurs... before dropping the husktop to the floor and swiftly following after it.

'The _fuck?_'

'Kan!'

'ORDER IN THE COURT!' You beat the ever-living shit out of the table leg again. There is now a dent in it. You keep banging and giving meaningful looks until Eridan sits down.

In the resulting silence, Kanaya's deep, slow breathing can be heard. Everyone relaxes, one by one, as they realize she's only asleep. You turn to grin at the accused because you have to admit that that was a pretty good move. Exactly what you would expect from Miss. Mindfang!

Vriska isn't smiling. Instead she simply raises one eyebrow as if to say, _'well, what now, Neophyte?'_ and you feel your own grin slip slightly.

'Moving on...' You angle your head in Nepeta's direction. 'I call forth Nepeta Leijon as a witness to Mindfang's resistance of the law!' Nepeta gets up, brushes herself down, and comes to stand beside you. 'Miss Leijon,' you begin seriously. 'Do you swear, on pain of a very terrible punishment, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?'

'I swear!' she declares, hand on her heart. You nod so as so say, _'proceed!'_ Nepeta clears her throat.

'I was here when Legislacerator Redglare summoned Marquise Mindfang to court,' she begins, speaking loudly and clearly. 'As soon as vice-Legislacerator Aradia Megido attempted to escort her to her place, Marquise Mindfang immediately began to put up a struggle.'

'_Objection!'_ Vriska very loudly protests, pointing dramatically at Nepeta, whom you can't help but notice flinches slightly. 'I was not _escorted_ – I was _bullied!_'

'Silence!' you order, grinning. 'Continue, Miss. Leijon. About the cards!' She recounts the shocking tale of how Vriska managed to pick practically everyone's minds and find out which cards they had. She very politely leaves out that fact that you were using Seer of Mind powers to do pretty much the same thing.

With the full story told, you turn your attention to the assembled, somewhat nonplussed trolls on the couch. 'Jury, make your decision! Choose her punishment! Whether it is used or not is up to me.' You've already thought of a punishment and fully intend to carry it out. Sometimes, Alternia's form of unjust justice is beautiful and you love it!

Murmurs fill the room, interrupted occasionally by a louder protest. You lean on the table and smirk at Vriska. Vriska just seems bored. Admittedly, this hasn't been as fun as you thought it would be. It could have been worse, but the accused has been annoyingly un-keen to play along tonight.

'We're ready,' Karkat says eventually. You cackle.

'What is your verdict?'

'That she tells us what the fuck is going on.' He pauses. You wait expectantly, hoping that it isn't the only thing they want. 'And maybe a physical punishment too.' Vriska Serket has harmed too many people currently in this room for her to be let off, it seems.

'Good. I was thinking... eighty drubbings with my cane?' You gently stroke the sheathed blade. That didn't sound wrong in the slightest.

'At _least_ make it eight-eight,' Vriska mutters, rolling her eyes.

'Eighty-eight,' you amend, because it is more fitting.

'Objection!' Eridan seems to love that word. You turn your head to give him your iciest of looks.

'What?' you ask tersely.

'She's my _matesprit_ that's what!' He says it as if he expects everyone to get onto their knees, to hail his words, to bow to him as if he's troll Jegus himself. Nobody does, of course.

'Your point being?' you say impatiently. You want to get on with this! You know, and Vriska probably knows, that no one will get seriously hurt because of this. Just a bit humiliated. But it'll still be fun!

'And she's, um, my moirail!' Now Tavros has stood. You heave an over-dramatic sigh. The resistance is building.

'Look, can't we just hear about all the cultist shit first?' Karkat grumbles. 'You've all kept us waiting too fucking long! You can engage in your fucked-up caliginous bondage bullshit later!' Oh, so _that's_ what he thinks. Vriska is making odd choking noises but you manage to keep your expression blank.

'Fine,' you say coolly. In an actual court, this would _never_ be happening. But the game is swiftly coming to an end and your legs hurt from being folded for so long. So you shift onto your butt and look at Vriska expectantly, just as Kanaya wakes up, looking non the worse for wear after her impromptu nap.

'Well?' Vriska tosses her hair and smiles as if she's the lead actormentor stepping into the spotlight, ready to display what she's been rehearsing for perigees. If she's nervous, she doesn't let it show.

'First, allow me to tell you about the Signless...'

* * *

I loved writing this chapter dejwiwpoahdewjh

I had, though, very carefully arranged the next one to be 69, and about the Sym69ls and the Signless... but I messed it up.

Oh well.

D4N1 - eheheheh. We will see, my friend, we will see...  
X)  
At any rate, expect to see a monologue at some point in the future!  
I don't know if I've said it, but anyway, I will strive to keep as much canon stuff in as possible, so long as it doesn't mess with anything I've already written (or the plot). So yes, I will be keeping all of their lovely names~!  
('Blinded by science' makes me laugh too OMG)

Anon83 - Oops lol XD Anyway, thank you! Yeah, I guess balancing it out is something I do... It's not even intentional most of the time! Once, in something original I wrote, I managed to squeeze in a random funny bit just for the sake of it... Three chapters later, there was a body on the floor O_O

Big thanks to all my lovely reviewers~! I love you all! ^_^


	70. Karkat: Listen

THE CHAPTER THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN 69 BUT WASN'T IS FINALLY HERE!

Also, by the way, SORRY FOR NOT REPLY TO REVIEWS. They managed to coincide with the update and were lost when my ship exploded under the canon fire.

(I've waited so long to post this chapter djdeiewpewwoep)

Hope to have the next one out real soon too!

* * *

====== Karkat: Listen.

'Let me tell you about the Signless...'

Vriska talks as if she's been rehearsing this tale for sweeps. Maybe she has. You have come to realize steadily, pace hindered by your stupid denial of pretty much anything that doesn't sit well in your bubble of self-loathing, that she isn't the same person who maimed Tavros and killed Aradia and who Terezi killed in The Veil.

Most of the minor details go completely over your head but you get what she's talking about and the fact that so much hangs on _you_ is pretty overwhelming. And as she goes on, the questions and the protests slow to nothing, until it's just her strong but quiet voice sounding clearly in the silence.

Vriska says it all completely matter-of-factly, which you guess helps a bit a first, before you start to work out whose ancestor is who's and they stop being faceless blurs and actually people that you _know_, and then Vriska's tone just makes everything she says hard and cold and... _merciless_.

You haven't started dreaming yet and now you know that you_ do not want to_. You don't want to remember having to live your life in the shadows, or standing in chains before the highbloods _knowing_ that you're going to die, and you _especially_ don't want to remember hanging from the burning cuffs, being watched by thousands, and feeling your life trickling away with the mutant blood on your body.

At some point, Gamzee came over and put his arm around you and when Vriska gets to the bit which hints that Sollux's ancestor isn't only still alive but still _enslaved as a starship by the Condesce herself_, you lean into your moirail's side and try not to think about how his ancestor was probably responsible for the hideous fate of your own. And that he probably laughed while it happened.

The worst thing, perhaps, is how it doesn't stop at the Signless' death. The Dolorosa _was_ Kanaya, so it was Kanaya who raised the Signless, raised _you_, and Kanaya who had to watch you die and Kanaya who had to spend sweeps of her life as a slave until she was _assassinated_ by someone who you can't help but picture as being Eridan.

The details about how the Cult of the Signless and the Order of the Sufferer managed to prepare for your arrival mean _nothing_. They are nowhere near as important as the fact that these people weren't just _ancestors_ – they were people who you now _know_.

Then she moves on to her own actions; how she discovered Signlessism and spent literally sweeps working for the Cult. She doesn't go into much detail and barely gloats at all. Terezi chips in a few times about how she's been involved, acting as the middle man for information and forming her own plans, not just for your group but for reforming Alternia's entire justice system.

Vriska concludes with how the hive will soon be invaded by a bunch of retarded Signlessists. Her light words on how you're not to get any ideas when they line up to kiss your ass do not help to abate the horrified atmosphere conjured by her speech.

By the time Vriska is finished, nearly everyone is hugging someone else. And in the silence that follows her words, Tavros gets up of the couch, crosses over to her and pulls her into a tight embrace.

And without even looking, you grab Terezi's arm and pull her towards you because fuck if you're gonna let her sit on her own at a time like this.

For a horribly long time, nobody says anything. You're all too shocked.

You have to lick your lips three times before you can speak, and then it's a case of wriggling yourself away from the joint embrace of the two people closest to you in the world. But eventually you manage it and as you move, everyone starts to look at you.

It's a different sort of look.

There's none of the _'what crap is Karkat gonna spew now?'_ in anyone's gaze. Nothing like _'oh, our leader is going to speak I bet it'll be hilarious!'_ It unnerves you because you're not used to being taken so... so _seriously_. Normally you have to shout and rage to make things work and that's fine, you you really don't mind. Anger is your default and it gets the job done.

But now doesn't seem like the time.

You were going to ask what to do. But they're all already asking, asking it of _you_, and so what comes out is a quiet, 'we have to do something.'

'_What_, though?' Sollux asks helplessly. He has one arm around Aradia and the other around Feferi. You don't even think he's aware he's doing it. '_What_ do we do?' You clench your fists and look at the floor. You cannot _believe_ you're about to say this.

'I know about my ancestor now,' you say through gritted teeth. 'And – _fuck_ – isn't the whole fucking _point_ of the heritage thing about finishing what they started? The Signless _lost_. He _died_ before he could do _anything_. Maybe... maybe I should try instead...' You trail away. Everyone is staring in awe, so stunned to speak.

The moment is ruined by Vriska bursting into applause. She stops when literally everyone else scowls at her, even Tavros and Eridan. But she doesn't stop grinning.

'Exactly!' she exclaims. 'Took you long enough! And it's what they'll be expecting of you, anyway.'

'Yeah,' you scowl, 'just throw that in there. No pressure, Karkat! Just you putting your life on the line for the sake of all troll kind!' Your mind is racing, and while your eyes are fixed upon the floor you aren't really seeing it. You had been wondering for a long time about what you were gonna do on Conscription Day. Going into hiding seemed the most likely because it has become clear that there is _no way_ you could pass yourself off as a rustblood like Aradia.

And it wouldn't just be you alone – Gamzee wouldn't just abandon you, Sollux would probably tag along to avoid culling, Tavros would do the same and maybe even Terezi would join. And that's only if you weren't all slated for culling anyway...

But now you feel that you should do _more_. It comes as a slightly shock, but you suddenly realize that you _loath_ the Empire with such a burning intensity you can't believe you've never felt it before. It's a hatred so strong it makes you feel heady, actually makes you sway slightly, and you realize with a jolt that all the anger you've been feeling _your entire life_ has been a shallow _nothing_ compared to this.

You snap your head up and gaze at all their faces in turn. You see Sollux but he's the Psionic, imprisoned for _centuries_ and tortured every second; you look at Tavros but he's the Summoner, bravely continuing your fruitless struggle and paying the ultimate price for it. Nepeta is the Disciple who spent the rest of her miserable life recording your words and Kanaya is the Dolorosa who had to watch her child _die_ before her.

And Terezi. You don't know a lot about Redglare and you suspect that Vriska left out a lot about that, but you know she was a Signlessist or whatever and her bid for equality earned her nothing but a noose around her neck.

You unclench your hands, because they're really starting to hurt now and you think your nails have probably left bruises.

'Look, I... Fuck.' You stop, take a breath, and try again. 'I don't know what I'll do, but I'll do something, 'kay? No one's gonna fucking die.'

'None of us were planning on it,' Terezi assures you. 'I've been working on my plan and this just helps it!'

Feferi quietly clears her throat. Everyone looks. You try not to see the Condesce. The Heiress stands.

'It's always been my aim,' she begins, 'to reform Alternia under my rein. To change the culling laws and unite the sea dwellers and land dwellers.' She pauses and takes a breath. She looks a little nervous, but is easily the calmest person in the room. 'I will work with you,' she concludes, looking you straight in the eye. The image of the Condesce is shattered and you manage a smile as you nod back.

**Shit is about to get real.**

* * *

8D


	71. Terezi: Take control

I have waited a long time to post this chapter.

(Sorry I haven't been very good at replying to reviews lately, by the way. Stuff has been happening.)

* * *

====== Terezi: Take control.

'Conscription's pretty soon,' you begin. Unlike Karkat, you've been preparing for something like this for _sweeps!_ 'so we gotta get the message out quickly, and in a way that'll make _everyone_ notice. There isn't any time for a build up. It's gotta happen in one big bang.'

'_Yes_,' Karkat growls, tesitly, running a hand through his hair and managing to make it stick up even more than usual. 'But _how?_ We can't talk to every troll on Alternia at the same time! Even if we managed to hack Trollian and send out a global message, there's no way everyone would see it. Too many different chat programs, too much encryption... Plus, half the fucking planet will be _asleep_ when_ever_ we do it!'

'So basically,' Vriska concludes, 'we gotta stage something huge, that'll make a big impact and be impossible to ignore, will show everything we're fighting for, _and_ will be seen by literally everyone on the planet _at the same time?_'

'Yes,' you say firmly.

'_Impossible_,' Vriska says, even _more_ firmly. 'Not everyone is gonna be awake, and not everyone will be in the right place to see it! And if it's as big as hacking an entire network, the Imperial Forces will see it about the same times as we _start_ it and there's no way they'll let it spread. How're we supposed to get literally every troll on _Alternia_ to...' Her eyes go wide and she trails away. You realize it as soon as she does. You think maybe everyone gets it.

'Conscription Day...' Tavros whispers. You nod slowly.

'It all happens in around the same time zone – there're loads of complaints from trolls who have to trek miles to reach the nearest place... But how're supposed to set it up?' Vriska gives you a look as if it should be obvious.

'Signlessism is _global_,' she says. 'They've calculated that there'll be at least three at each spot.'

'And the screens!' Sollux says quickly, and a bit too loudly. Everyone looks at him in confusion. 'They broadcast propaganda,' he explains. 'They play some pre-recorded speech by the Condesce on a loop while everyone lines up and the drones check them. And cull them. I can hack the signal, no problem!' He sounds stupidly excited by this and you can't blame him. There's something about this that makes you feel insanely triumphant, as if just talking about it means you're hurting the Empire somehow. And you love it too much to shove the feeling away.

'So maybe me and Karkat make a video that can be broadcasted instead?' Feferi suggests. You nod, but Karkat quickly shakes his head.

'No way,' he growls. 'Well, you can, I guess. But I wanna be there. Otherwise it's just like I'm the motherfucking Condesce – sitting safe and sound in a little room somewhere, not even _bothering_ to show her proper face. It can be a live broadcast, right?' This last is directed at Sollux, who grins and nods.

'That's actually easier than prerecording it, probably,' he says. 'Though you'd better practice loads and loads – you only get one take!'

'Imagine if you messed up!' Nepeta giggles. Karkat grimaces and shudders.

'No thanks.' You cackle, before giving into the impulse and hugging him. You can see it spreading out in your mind's eye, a river of happenings rushing down a mountainside, and although there are a heck of a lot of bad endings, the _brilliant_ ones are enough to mean it's worth it.

He returns the hug and you think it might've become something more, if Equius hadn't chosen to clear his throat rather loudly.

'You _are_ gonna help us, right?' Nepeta asks, making her eyes huge as she stares up at him.

'Of course,' Equius rumbles. He turns his head slowly, looking over everyone in turn and perhaps lingering a little longer on Feferi. But it could've just been your imagination. 'I have no plan to abandon _any_ of you.'

'Yay!' Nepeta leaps into his arms and now everyone is smiling.

'I'll do a live speech too.' Feferi makes a face. 'I do _not_ want to look like the Condesce!'

'An' we should all be there to help, right?' Eridan asks, a little nervously. His gaze ends up on Kanaya, who smells a little regretful.

'Unfortunately, my Conscription will likely be some way away,' she replies. 'And as a jadeblood, I doubt I could not attend and be unmissed.'

'But if we're slated for cullin' anyway...' She shakes her head.

'I'm sorry, Eridan.' Eridan seems rather crestfallen, but accepting.

'I will meet up with the rest of you as soon as I can,' Kanaya assures him. Then, to the room at large, 'I'm assuming that we'll go into hiding afterward, correct?'

'Well, _yeah_.' Karkat rolls his eyes. 'We can't just board the ships right after damning the Empire, can we?'

'Um, question.' Tavros raises his hand. 'How do we stop them, from just cutting, the broadcast?' he asks. You open your mouth to reply, then realize that you have no answer.

'Aradia, can you still do the time thing?' Vriska asks. Aradia frowns, but not in a hostile way.

'A little,' she replies. 'Though it feels as if I'm trying to squeeze very thick dough through a sieve when I do. I haven't tried for a long, long time.' Vriska nods as if she knows exactly what she's talking about.

'Well, yeah. I think it's to do with the active-passive bullshit. Anyway it was hard for me at first but I got my full abilities back in a few perigees.'

'Do I have that time, though?' The two seem to have put aside their black-ish feelings for now, at least. Mature of them. It makes you feel a bit sad, actually. 'You always had a bit of a luck-thing. I only got most of my space-stuff after I got God Tier.'

'So did I,' Vriska replies. 'Just practice loads and you should be able to get it all back in time.'

'But...' Aradia sounds really unsure. 'What I'll have to do is... stop time in a sort of bubble in... over a hundred places on the planet at once... which will mean looping back several times and maintaining a single second of time...' She bites her lip. 'I've never done _anything_ like _that!_'

'AA, you kept _Bec fucking Noir_ trapped in time for _ages_,' Sollux reasons, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. 'I think you can pull off something like this.'

'No pressure!' Vriska adds happily. Aradia shoots her a _look_ and Vriska grins back happily.

'So, let me get this straight,' Karkat begins. 'We go to Conscription, crash the whole thing, me and Feferi give a rousing speech while trapped in a time bubble which is broadcast across the whole of Alternia, and then we disappear?'

'Pretty much,' you grin, nodding happily.

'_Ugh_.' He buries his head in his hands. 'I can see _so_ many ways that this can go wrong!'

'So can I,' you agree. 'But _I_ can also see so many ways that it can go _right!_ And besides, what else can we do?'

'Nothing,' he admits. You cackle, and then suddenly your lips are locked with him in something very flushed and very happy and in that moment, everything is _perfect_.

====== Vriska: Record notes.

Smiling, you turn back to your husktop. Progress has been made and you will be first to record it! Probably the only one, too, 'cause stuff like this shouldn't be listed everywhere for any random idiot to see. And then you can send the others some _good_ news for once!

Your husktop hasn't suffered at all from its fall and you're actually humming as you open a new document. When you notice Trollian blinking you don't think much of it, but decide to deal with whoever it is before writing down anything. To be honest you can't wait to spread the good news! Cerulean Emissary just doing her j—

You freeze as you open the chat window. A chill shoots through your body, from horns to toes. Your breathing quickens and you feel slightly faint.

You don't see any text. But the window was definitely blinking.

Calm down. _Calm down_. The fall probably did something after all, knocked something out of place, or it's that HH idiot messing around...

But your hand is trembling as you click on the chat window. You are kinda terrified, but you are doing this because you _have_ to check: if your suspicions are correct then you are all the most _fucked_ as it is possible to be and you can't let it go unnoticed.

You click and drag. The white text, invisible against the screen, appears letter by letter like some bizarre (and somewhat lame) conjuring trick.

**Hello, Miss. Serket.**

is what it says. There's no handle. No nothing.

You have never screamed so hard in your whole fucking life.

**- END OF ACT 1 -**

* * *

**I hope you haven enjoyed the first Act of Adolescence!**

**I've already written the next apart wjhwajiwwjruwrewruhewr  
**

**BUT I require an answer to a question of mine:  
**

**Should I continue with , where the fic will be easily found by new readers, and where I know my way around the limited formatting OR  
**

**should I do the next bit on Archive of Our Own?  
**

**AO3 has many advantages over . Being able to colour text is one, though I still need to work out how to do that. Another good thing is that if you don't have an account, you can review by giving your email and I can reply privately!  
**

**There is probably some other stuff that I'm forgetting...  
**

**But anyway, I NEED an answer, guys. More than just two or three would be best. I need to know what suits EVERYONE. I might put a poll up on my profile (which is also where I'll put the AO3 link if I do continue on that site). If I do, I will post another 'chapter' with more details, once I get more feedback, and eventually I will tell you guys what is going on.  
**

**NO ONE SHALL BE LEFT BEHIND.**

Anon83 - how about now? XD


	72. Plans

WHOA.

Can't say I was expecting so many in one go!

Eleven! **Eleven!**

Oh boy! My last record was five!

So I decided to do this now, and hopefully clear some stuff up.

Ok:

YOU **CAN** USE THE SITE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ACCOUNT. And I don't recommend trying to get one unless you want to post any stories... there's a massive waiting list. I thought I would have to wait until NOVEMBER to get one, at first.

If I use AO3 for ANYTHING more than oneshots that are already on here, I will put a link on my profile to it.

Another thing I guess I should add is that the site is still on Beta. So, things go wrong. Once it got horribly hacked and tried to infect your computer with Trojans.

**Guys, I have come to a conclusion:**

_I will put the next part on here,_ and a few smaller fics on AO3 to work out the formatting shit. Later, I might transfer EVERYTHING to AO3, complete with editing etc.

But people seem to have trouble with the site, so I will leave it for now. AND EVEN IF I DO TRANSFER IT, THE ORIGINAL WILL STAY ON THIS SITE.

To be honest, one of the main reasons I want it on AO3 is because more people use that site for Homestuck than this one, I think. So I will pick up more readers. HOWEVER, I am not going to merely abandon the ones I already have. All you guys are special.

**So, looking out for 'Adolescence: Intermission' on sometime in the not-too-distant future!**


	73. Possibly Bad News

This fic's impressive word count has attracted the attention of a sort of fanfic-inspector, I guess. The second-person narrative style bends/possibly breaks one of the rules and, depending on the reply I may or may not get, I may have to take this fic down and transfer it to AO3 before it is taken down for me, possibly with my account as well.

I knew this, and I admit it, but I had hoped that, since it imitates Hussie's (the creator's) original style, and you lot have, therefore, already been 'exposed' to it, then it would be ok. But it might not be.

We shall see what happens. **If this fic suddenly disappears, check my profile. A link to my Ao3 should be on there.**

Also, a notice (while I'm at it):

_The reason why Adolescence: The Intermission isn't up yet is/was because I am/was waiting for people to catch up with Act One, and also so that I can get a bit more ahead before I begin posting again. Sorry for the delay!_


	74. GUYS PLEASE!

**IF I HAVE TO TAKE THIS FIC DOWN, IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD! PLEASE DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN THIS! I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT BUT FOR THE LOVE OF THE SIGNLESS, DON'T RISK YOUR OWN ACCOUNTS FOR MY SAKES!**

****I am going to email the staff. This is getting out of hand.


	75. Update 01

EDIT: Oh, wait, it wasn't fanfiction! Lemme fix that...  
(I am so, so sorry for this but I think i might be losing it.)

* * *

Jade clutched John's hand in her left and Davesprite's in her right. Something was going very, very wrong with the golden Prospit ship! She had thought that things would be ok with a Prospitain captain, but things were rapidly going downhill...

Then, a strong female voice began to ring out across the deck!

'Personal Tumblr and AO3 are now on my profile. Lifeboats are being readied. This vessel may be about to go down, but we are prepared. I have sent a mayday to HQ, and I am awaiting a response. Still suffering enemy fire, although it is not too frequent.

'But the blood is in the water now, the sharks are gathering around us. Please do not drop anything overboard, where it may been seen and picked on.

'It is the captain's destiny to go down with her vessel, but the passengers and crew may still be saved. Please keep hold of your life-preservers and await further information.

-Captain Estella'

Maybe there was hope after all!

* * *

(Please at least save the links somewhere, because they may well take my profile down too - I don't know how the process works.)

(Also please don't review in my favour, it makes things worse)

(Does it break any rules if I pose these things as short stories?)


	76. Update 02

A young (but Conscripted) female troll stands at the helm of her starship, the AA1. The empty space around it is disturbingly quiet, and has been for some time.

Who is this girl? And what is her name?

Her name is SELENA ESTELL. The vessel she planned, built and finally flown has been under some heavy attack recently. Crew moral is at an all-time low, and one or two appear to have succumbed to enemy attacks. They are greatly mourned, but alas, nothing can be done. No troll alive can raise the dead.

The troll girl holds her head in despair. This is a supply ship, not even part of the main Fleet! It has no modern weaponry, no sufficient defense shield, and should not have to deal with such things! And yet...

She checks the radar once more. Nothing. Even the enemy's signals, picked up and decoded, seem to have receded. Is it possible that the message got back to the main ship, the FF N.E.T, after all? Have they eradicated the foes already? If so, why have they not sent a message?! The AA1 cannot simply drift in space forever, steadily abandoned by its crew as they teleport away to safety!

But that seems to be what is happening. The captain has seen other abandoned vessels before, simply left floating in space, empty and neglected, the captain dead or exiled but not truly gone, not while their pride and joy is left to drift aimlessly among the stars...

Captain Estell is determined to escape this fate, even if it _does_ mean abandoning this wretched voyage to begin anew!

Selena grabs the microphone to her left, and turns it on. 'Status update: no enemy vessels on the radar... no message back from the mothership yet, although they are probably receiving many messages right now...' She holds back a sigh. 'We seem to be facing an Empire-wide uprising; a renaissance, you could say. I ask you not to give up the hope of a rescue; however, if you wish to teleport to safety while the portals are still active, then you may do so. I... I will be staying here.'

She ends the message. Her crew have been very quiet as well, although there isn't really a way to check. She suspects that many are simply watching and waiting, while also attending to duties outside of their work on the AA1.

And if they have already left?

Only time will tell.

* * *

I am enjoying this more than I should be.

Hope you don't mind my self-insert - I am going to be sticking to this style of news-giving, I think.


	77. Update 03

It has been two days since the last record was made.

Two days, and two more burning, vicious strikes.

The AA1 remains stationary in space, still awaiting an message from the mothership, still awaiting the final strike. Waiting to either be saved or condemned, possibly by the same source - the Empire doesn't have much feeling for it's suppliers at the moment, not when there are so many, at least.

It is a meaningless existence.

Captain Estell's eyes hover over the self-destruct button. To go out with a bang would certainly be satisfying... But no, what of the crew? She could evacuate them, certainly, but there was not enough time and not all would make it... those portals were risky things... who knew where they might end up?

Plus, the Captain would have to be there to press the button and she rather likes being alive, thanks...

...although there is a fire-proof, acid-proof, radiation-proof spacesuit hanging up in the corner...

NO! No, she will not put her ancestor to shame, not after all she's already been through! This is only the start, the captain thinks - there are backups, so many, even if she must begin them all from scratch! Selena will not simply throw away everything she's worked for because of a few floating tin cans! She won't! It's what they _want_, for God's sake!

But...

There is no joy in this existence, no thrill of racing through the stars, no enjoying successful deliveries with her crew... Barely any contact with _anyone!_If only she could be sure that they would all make it... or at least be available for future missions...

The Captain's internal struggle goes on.


	78. Update 04

Not a lot had happened recently. No more serious strikes, but no word from the Mothership either.

Captain Estell is feeling a little miffed as she leans against the control panel and digs dirt out from under her claws.

However, this is not yet over. She has a certain amount of time until the AA1 is terminated, but does not know how much time that is. It is somewhat nerve-wracking. So, Selena is quietly but quickly working once more on the next transfer vessel, the AA2, directing its construction from afar. The transportation shuttle is already completely, ready to transfer the Captain to the AO3, if all else fails.

And, if necessary, she shall pick up every piece of shattered metal from this ship, once it is blasted apart, and reconstruct it bit by bit. The AO3 seems a much better place to set it up and, although it will cause serious delays in the course of the AA2, a captain will do whatever is necessary to salvage her first vessel, her pride and joy, if only for the sakes of mooring it off of the new Mothership and looking at it in pride a few times.

In fact some of the work is very shabby and will need a touch-up, but that is the silver lining to its destruction - the chance to rearrange components that would wreck it if the operation were carried out while it was still functional.

Captain Estell stretches her arms, and finally peels herself away from the central controls. She had shit to do.

* * *

A/N: Sorry I haven't been replying to anons, btw, but I've been struggling to find the motivation to even write this 'updates'. I would just like you to know, however, that I appreciate every one of you and want you to know that you are the best readers ever!

I would also like people to know that I think Critics United is a pretty good organization, and we seem to be pretty cool with each other despite all this, but that I still despise the Renaissance lot.


	79. Update 05

Using the wireless touchscreen cross-space interface, Captain Estelle slowly but surely works on her latest project. It is slow, and will take a pretty long time, but it will be worth it. Besides, if she's going to take this hunk of space-junk anywhere else in the universe EVER, then it will need some _serious_ touching up. She means, _seriously_. Some of this shit is so outdated!

She carefully edits another section, her pilot's eye keen, her pilot's hand steady. At least this time she has a better idea of what she's doing. Patching a starship together as you go along isn't a very good idea. And she will remember that for future reference.

Of course, this is only the plan. But work should be commencing soon at the GOOGOL Docks, one of the cheapest deep-space mechanics (if perhaps not the most reliable) that does everything she needs, regardless. Finishing touches can be made when both captain and ship reaches the AO3...

Switching alliances seems to pretty much confirmed now. Selena doesn't really see any option that doesn't involve dismantling her own vessel and changing it into something almost completely different. Plus, FF N.E.T is almost definitely against her, yay, so she must make do with what she has.

A backup is a backup is a backup. And she is bloody well going to use it.

* * *

So basically I am going through Adolescence: Act 1 and editing it. I tend to cringe at the earlier chapters because WOW, I really didn't know what I was doing back then

I don't think anyone will need to reread it, but I will be adding some things and taking others out, as well as rearranging it a little. At first, the fic was really centered around Eridan, and this is basically the first few chapters: 'have you hard from Eridan?' 'I'm worried about Eridan!' 'how has Eridan been lately?' 'Pfft, Eridan, who cares about him?' 'I am so totally not concerned for Eridan!' 'lets talk about Eridan!' 'I am going to mention Eridan despite the fact that he has nothing to do with my life and it's been like five chapters since we last had anything from his POV!'

It would almost have been acceptable is the fic really WAS centered 100% around him (as it originally was, actually), but as it isn't, it's just bad writing. There's other stuff too, like characterization (I mean OW, wtf past-self?) and even typing-quirks that annoy me.

So yes. Editing. I will do a 'launch' update thing, but unless something truly MEGA happens to do with the fic, do not expect anything from me.

Bye!


	80. Update 06

Despite the fact that she is currently squinting through watery eyes and cursing the universe for giving her such a bad cold _literally two weeks_ before she starts her annual Twelfth Perigee leave, Captain Selena Estell would like to inform her loyal crew that one of her side projects is currently active on the AO3! There are also a few vessels that have done their work and are free to be perused at leisure.

Building of the new AA1 is going fairly well, although other stuff has caused it to be put of brief hiatuses from time to time.

She would also like to point out to CERTAIN PEOPLE that she is still, somehow, able to upload chapters...

Also, no news from the Mothership yet. Selena doesn't consider this much of a shame.

* * *

Link to my AO3 is, as it was before, on my profile. Highlight it, right click, and either open it on that tab or a new tab or a new window. =) The fic is a SolKat titled 'The Helmsman's Compass' and is currently on chapter 4... Yeah I forgot to put a message up on here.

There are also various oneshots from my Tumblr.


	81. Update 07

_With one glorious swoop of her hand, Captain Selena Estella presses the button to release the AA1 from its dock on the AO3! Although its jouney has barely started, it will surely get much further than its original, somewhat primitive model._

The Captain then legs it as fast as she can to the teleporter before the enemies realize what she's done or, perhaps just maybe, the Mothership finally gets to the first of the hundreds of messages about destroying the vessel.

* * *

(copy-and-paste the link of my profile to get to my AO3.)

I'm still uploading the chapters, but at least it's _there_, right?


End file.
